The Beginning is the End
by YourWorstDaydream
Summary: Tragedy strikes Gaia and triggers its failsafe: Final Attack. The planet's last option is to trust in humanity's strength and hope that it doesn't guarantee another life of death. M/M, M/F (Cloud/Seph)
1. The End is the Beginning

AN_: I promise this is the last time I change old chapters until I get this fic completed. It's just easier to go over old stuff then to create new stuff with the limited time that I have overseas, but from now on when I'm working on the story I'm going to be writing down new chapters only._

_This will be randomly updated because it's being written between my spurs of ADD, job, and the fact that when I do get the urge to write I have writer's block. Also, the relationship between Cloud and Sephiroth is going to be gradual. I'm going to try and keep OOCness down to a min, but please bear with me. This is my first story and it's going to be a lengthy one! XD  
So without further ado, here it is. I hope you enjoy!_

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~Intro Picture!~ (get rid of spaces)  
**hellsamess .deviantart #/d2q14uy**  
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_Summary_: Tragedy strikes Gaia and triggers its failsafe: Final Attack. The planet's last option is to trust in humanity's strength and hope it doesn't guarantee another life of death. Seph/Cloud, Zack/Angeal, and some not so subtle hints of Genesis/Aerith.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Final Fantasy or any of its characters, nor do I own the songs mentioned. I make no profit from this and am working on it for my own (and your) entertainment.  
**Rated**: T (may be raised in the future)  
_**iWarnings**_**! **This fic has character deaths, **Language**, _**Violence**_, and is a **Yaoi/Slash**. So if you cannot handle any of that then please leave.

**The Beginning is the End is the Beginning  
(By: Smashing Pumpkins)**

_Intro Pt.1  
__**The End is the Beginning is the End**_

**Shinra Electric Company.** It was a name that struck fear and hatred into the hearts of those who were opposed to the usage of mako.

The company started on the Eastern Continent when a man named J.P. Shinra found that the source of all natural energy came from a green ooze-like substance he called "mako" and hired engineers to build special machines to pump out the newfound material. It turned out that the liquid could be transformed into either gas or solids, and because of his discovery (and how easy and affordable the mako was to get) J.P. Shinra quickly became the wealthiest man on Gaia. Mako quickly became the new 'need' of the people for it had multiple functionalities: it could be used for electric furnaces, battery juice, and every day household needs. Yet the most important factor it had in Shinra was its ability to easily fuel tanks. Soon Shinra Electric gained enough power within its nation that it created a military base during its expansion. The company expanded into the Western Continent and built more reactors there to supply the new demand for energy.

The Wutai were appalled when they heard what the company was doing and their government was the first to speak out. They claimed that the planet needed mako to survive, but the consumers ignored their warnings in favor of the easier lifestyle they had all grown accustomed to. So the Wutai declared war to stop the threat. Though they were failing in the face of Shinra's power, they struggled to persist for what they knew to be the greater good.

Soon after the declaration for war there was an incident at the Shinra Electric Company. One of its employees had come in contact with an experimental liquidated mako. When the employee recovered, he was noticeably more energetic and faster than before, and thus began the new experiments on mako and how it affected human capabilities. SOLDIERs were created from this research, and Shinra's military was overpowering.

The people on the main continents lived happily. It didn't matter that the more densely populated areas were starting to see a light fog in the air. It wasn't killing them and thus easily ignored. You couldn't even see the haze until you were miles out from the city and looking in, so why would they give up such an easy lifestyle when there was no harm done to anyone?

Of course, all good things came with problems; the only thing it took was time. Some people started to complain about the green smog and tried to coax Shinra Electric into finding a new source of energy, but the company only turned a deaf ear to their words… and that's when the terrorist attacks began. Within a few years the group known as AVALANCHE forced the company to its knees and happily rejoiced at the accomplishment they had done, but they were ignorant. The group didn't have the time to continuously watch over the planet, they had their own lives to attend to, and so they disbanded in hopes the threat had been neutralized.

After Shinra Electric heard of the separation they quickly rebuilt their towers to be stronger than ever before... only this time with a man named Heidegger, the head of the Department of General Affairs, as its leader.

The greedy natures of the new President and his wife Scarlet made a change to the world. Heidegger had all of the mako reactors' engines modernized to pump out faster and increase profits. It was later found out that the areas in the Northern Crater, Wutai, Mideel, and the Ancient City had a dense mako concentration, and they built reactors there to gain more energy from the planet. Then, when Shinra Electric Company had reached its peak in governmental power, Scarlet revealed her true colors and attempted to take the company's control through divorce. It ended with Shinra Electric split in two, and the buildings were just as corrupt as the leaders they were ruled under. Heidegger kept the company's main location in Midgar with its military base in Junon, and Scarlet left for the Western Continent and built her base near the Gold Saucer while her military took over Costa Del Sol. They both sucked out as much energy as possible while they continued their petty wars with each other, and it was all done at the cost of the planet.

You see, the Wutai were right... mako is Gaia's energy, freely given by the planet to sustain the life around it. When life ends it's taken back into the Lifestream to be recreated inside a new form. The gesture was selfless and full of love for creation, but the stolen energy caused problems for the planet and the life it had once so easily given was forced to be taken back.

It had taken years for everyone to see the severity of the problem. It was first noticed by distressed farmers who couldn't grow their crops. Families would cry for the mothers who'd give birth to stillborns. It wasn't long after these misfortunes that the lives of those who had a stronger connection to the planet had also begun to die.

Animals would suddenly fall to their sides dead. Parents and children would go to sleep and never reawaken. A random passerby would unknowingly draw in their last breath and collapse...

The people were scared and desperate for it all to stop. Shinra was alarmed too, but was in severe denial of their role in it. They would not stop. They would not give up their power, not when their power was so much and too far spread.

But now, with the support of the people, AVALANCHE had been reformed.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

***Western Continent: Twenty miles from Gold Saucer***

The deafening sound of bombs exploding and rapid gunfire were heard down below as the terrorist group attacked Scarlet's main company building. The Shinra foot soldiers, SOLDIERs, and even cadets open fired whenever they thought they saw movement coming from behind the large debris scattered throughout the area. Every house within a ten mile radius had been abandoned, and what was once luscious green grass was now broken rubble and dirt capable of being dryer than the desert's sand.

She was up in the highest part of her tower, protected from the blasts from the world outside. Scarlet watched the scene with cold, teal eyes as the bodies from both the terrorist group and Shinra alike fell to the withered ground. It didn't matter what was down there or who her military was fighting today… Heidegger's men, AVALANCHE... they were all the same.

The doors to her office opened behind her and a man in the issued blue Shinra suit calmly walked closer. "Ms. President," the man greeted.

Gracefully the woman turned, the red dress slightly creased from her curvature and complimented her already well defined chest. "General Rossly," the President greeted, piercing her eyes into his own. "I do hope you have good news for me." She purposefully walked to her desk, red heels clicking against the white marble floor as she moved towards her chair.

"Yes… and no," the General slowly followed after her. He never did have the commanding presence, or the lack of fear, as the late General Sephiroth. His controlled mask slipped as he nervously licked his dried lips. He watched as a pale leg was slowly lifted up to rest on top the other while the woman leaned into the black leather of the office chair.

"No?" she charmingly questioned, tilting her head.

"Meaning… that the terrorist group has a terrain advantage over us, and they are getting closer. Our military forces and supplies are running out."

The President closed her eyes and folded her hands together as she took the information in. "And what of the good news?"

The General stood confidentially and became more secure with his words, "Project SB113 is ready to be used. We're waiting for your orders to fire."

SB113, the name of Scarlet's newest creation, had the power of flight to overcome all terrain obstacles. It also included an AI of the same type a man named Reeve had built into his creations. She could never get it working the way that man had, but the project notes he left behind during his blind escape to AVALANCHE had been a help. SB113 was aslo powered with the planet's life energy and was capable of _mass_ destruction. The woman opened her eyes, a smile slowly spread across her painted red lips, and she flicked her bleached blonde hair away from her face. "Fire it as soon as possible," she ordered.

"Of course, Ms. President!" the man did a perfect salute and quickly walked out of the room, shutting the double doors behind him. The blonde folded her hands again and her smile became sinister. Her callous eyes glanced out the window… not seeing the battle, not caring about the people below.

Poise perfect, breathing calm.

_I win._

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

_Pt. 2  
__**The End is the Beginning is the End**_

There were bullets flying in all directions while bombs caused heavy debris to fly through the air. Cloud, Tifa, and Cid duck and wove between old rusted vehicles and parts of fallen walls to get closer to the Shinra building. The trio rested their backs against the hard surface as Tifa and Cid tried to catch their breath, coughing from the heavy dust in the air.

Cloud reached for the PHS and held it to his mouth to make the words as clear as possible to his squadron. There were four forty man squadrons in total with ten teams split by skill, experience, and how well they worked together. Because AVALANCHE didn't have the funds to supply each person with every type of weapon most were either equipped as ranged or close combat.

"Squad 1, this is Strife. Is everyone ready?" There were rounds of affirmatives from each of the teams. Tifa and Cid took off their gun straps and started firing rounds at the enemy soldiers that tried to sneak in closer. He went to give further orders, but was interrupted by a girl's voice coming through the device.

_"Hey, Cloud! If you get hurt try to keep the Materia safe! Otherwise I won't come and save you!"_

_"Ey, Las, that's no way to talk. Give that here tah me!"_

_"Eh? No way! I grabbed it first so it's mine!"_

Cloud sighed as the usual bickering between the ninja and cat doll started up again. He gazed out into the area and observed the groups that were chuckling at the ninja's antics. '_Damn it, she should at least know when to stop pressing the talk button when they do that.'_

Tifa came back down from on top of the rock wall to reload her cartridge. She squinted up at the blazing sun in the sky, a bead of sweat slid down her neck and absorbed into her white shirt. "We ready to go?" she asked.

Cid looked down on them and yelled, "Come on! We don't have all cott'n pick'n day!" Sweat was also perspiring off of him. The older male soon continued his assault to the other side.

"Squad 1, we're going to issue teams 1, 2, 4, 7, and 10 to get closer to the building. Teams 5, 6, 8, and 9 give 4, 7, and 10 cover fire." Cloud grabbed his sword and shouldered his gun. Tifa and Cid both did the same with theirs, and Tifa re-adjusted her gloves while Cid took hold of his spear. "Team 2 head in first… and be careful, Yuffie. Tell us when you get the tanks down."

"O.K!" the cheerful ninja chirped and cautiously ran ahead to lead her team.

This was the hardest part of the entire operation for all those eager to charge in. The cover fire groups had to be as noticeable as possible while those using bronze force had to remain stationary. The idea was to mess with the enemies' heads long enough so they'd misjudge the positions of every hidden team. So simple, so easy, but it was agony to just sit there and wait.

Team 2, the stealth group, was composed of Yuffie, Cait Sith, and Nanaki. Though Nanaki was young to his kind, he was good at prowling. The large wolf-like lion didn't have opposable thumbs to prevent a bomb from exploding, but his teeth worked just fine to grab wires of other devices and rip them out.

Yuffie, a loud and annoying young woman, was truly the definition of 'ninja' when she needed to be. Her steps were quiet, and nothing but dead silence accompanied her no matter how fast she moved.

Cait Sith was… well, Cait Sith. The cat doll wasn't quick, though he wasn't slow either. Neither was he made to be good at hiding, he was always spotted eventually. The beautiful thing about the doll was that he just couldn't be caught _moving_. Being hidden in plain view was the best ability he had. No one ever gave a second thought to a small toy cat. So, if he was seen, all Cait did was play dead and everyone assumed it was a misplaced doll some little girl sent to her father to remember her by.

Even though Cloud kept reminding himself of these things he still worried over their safety. Time seemed to go on slowly as the groups waited for the all clear. Then, a series of beeps traveled over the radio waves so that their position wasn't given away.

"Yuffie's code," Cloud said. "We're good to go."

Cid raised an arm to get everyone's attention and swung it forward, signaling to head in. All front teams proceeded to duck and weave at once to catch the other side off guard.

The Shinra military quickly noticed the change in AVALANCHE's movement and also changed their tactics. They were bringing out the big guns, though once inside the tanks the drivers started to panic when they realized that the vehicles were sabotaged. The commanders had to reformulate a new plan, but the only thing that they could come up with in such short notice was to send out more firearms, gun down whoever they could see, and hopefully slow AVALANCHE down while the mechanics did repairs.

It wasn't long until the soldiers were pushed back into the building by AVALANCHE. They had no use of their tanks, their grenades were gone, and most of their gunners were shot down.

"Cloud!" The blond searched the area until he caught Yuffie finishing off her assault with a round-house kick to a man's face. "Cloud!" she hollered again and ran over to him.

"What's wrong?" he asked as they faced each other.

"I overheard one of their officers yelling to shut down the power here! They're trying to lock us in!"

"Head back to the gate!" he ordered into the PHS. "Back to the gate! Retreat!"

He pocketed the communication device, but he still continued to yell out the order in case some were too caught up in battle to hear it. Most made it outside by the time the power went off. The doors auto-locked and sealed shut, but the sound of gunfire from the inside meant that some didn't make it out.

"What do we do?" Nanaki asked from beside him.

"Right now, for them?" Cloud sighed in regret. "There's nothing we can do. We don't have anything to blast down the doors."

Everyone was looking toward him and waiting for orders. They had always looked to him with answers. He'd been in Shinra, he was known as the leader of the old AVALANCHE and the new one… he had to come up with something. They were depending on him. "Cid, split the group up into two and have them join Squad 2 and 4 on the Northern and Southern Gates. Be sure to tell them to be ready to retreat if they cut off the power like they did here. Send a couple messengers for 3 as well."

Cid gave a nod of understanding and took the commanding stance. The older blond really did have more of a knack for giving orders than he did. Tifa stood firm by their young leader. "Cloud, tell me what you're thinking."

Cloud could hear Cid cursing at the others in the background. He could hear the yells of pain and gunfire in the distance as well as passed the door. "I'm going to find a way to blast this door down."

But just as he got on the PHS to contact Reeve, the ground started to rumble.

"Ah!" Tifa yelped as she stumbled and fell. The movement was so random and so completely unexpected. "Earthquake?"

"No," Vincent said as he appeared from out of nowhere and crouched by them, "whatever it is it's coming from the Shinra tower."

What he said was true. From the top of the building a giant object reflected light from the sun. Cid straightened as the shocks from the ground dulled and they stared up at the massive object.

"Holy mother of hell… is that… it looks like-" Cid couldn't finish his sentence as he stood there in disbelief. Everyone in old AVALANCHE knew what that thing was made to resemble. Cloud spoke for everyone, a whisper upon the passing moment.

"WEAPON..."

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

_Pt. 3  
__**The End is the Beginning is the End**_

From every corner of the battlefield the people watched as the silver manmade WEAPON started to move on its high perch. It spread its sharp, metallic wings while it gave a painfully earsplitting screech. The large tubes that were connected to its chest, arms, and legs broke off as the thing resembling BAHAMUT forced its way forward. The mako that was once being fed to the monstrosity was now running down the building as the creature left its spot from atop the roof. Processed ooze rained onto the unprotected skin of the people below, burning their skin at its raw density, and the tubes it came from flailed wildly about as the mako continued to gush out.

"Get out of here!" Cloud and Vincent shouted. Only they, besides Nanaki, seemed unaffected by the shower of the mako. It was a gifted curse brought to them years ago by the same doctor. The people had to run. Mako could enhance a human by mixing in with their bloodstream, but only if the person could handle the all of the energy it had within. If they couldn't then their bodies could shut down and die.

The mako was falling so heavily that puddles had already started to form at their feet. The three stood their ground and watched as the Shinra WEAPON rapidly beat the air with its mighty wings to gain altitude. The thing made a speedy descent to the ground as it made another anguished cry, and they were ready to be on the offensive for when it landed.

The WEAPON crashed into the ground, sending chunks of earth flying everywhere, and it wasted no time getting up. Ready to end the battle in one blow, it unhinged its jaw to create a widened opening for its attack. A beam of bright green light started forming inside its mouth and was prepared to send it right at the trio.

"Vincent, Nanaki, be ready!" Cloud called and set into a defensive stance.

"Ready," Vincent coolly replied back, his gun out and equipped for a long battle.

"…"

"Nanaki?" Cloud and Vincent both looked over their shoulders and watched as the lion's gaze took on a distant look. Then the young animal gave a weak roar and collapsed to the ground, golden eyes glazed over. The lion's chest stilled and a steady stream of both mako and mud flowed down his once bright red mane.

The people running away from WEAPON soon collapsed as they too dropped to the ground. Even the gunfire from inside the building had silenced as people shouted in panic.

"Tifa!" Yuffie yelled out. Cloud turned around to see his childhood friend in the arms of a weeping Barret. Yuffie looked scared. "Tifa!"

"Oh, Gaia," the large man sobbed over and over again while his best friend lay dead in his arms. _"Oh, Gaia, why?"_

People were dying all around them. Cloud looked at the green liquid covering himself and brought up a hand to move it between his fingers. It felt like the same substance used in everyday fuel. Though dangerous if exposed with it for too long, the green substance shouldn't contain enough energy to be able to kill on contact. It didn't feel like it was bothering him in the slightest. Confused, Cloud looked at the scene and tried to find out why. A few of the people on the ground weren't even touched by the ooze. It didn't make sense!

Cloud glanced in the direction of the slow mechanical beast. The mako rain was making small trails of streams along its metallic frame. The WEAPON that was once a threat only a moment before gave another shrill cry as the beam it was creating lost its energy and vanished. The monstrosity collapsed to the ground as Shinra's created life form was forced from its shell.

He looked up at the highest point of the tower when he suddenly realized what was happening. Mako was being forced out by the gallons from where the tubes had once been attached to the WEAPON… like a never ending volcanic eruption and the Planet was forcefully taking the lives of those living just so it could keep itself alive.

Why wasn't the company shutting off the pipes? Why weren't they doing anything to stop the flow of the mako? Even though most people had realized by now that mako was the planet's life force, Shinra still used it for energy. Wouldn't the company shut off the pipes if nothing more than to save their profits?

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

"Ey, Las," Cait Sith used his small paws to shake the frightened ninja and tried to get her to come back to her senses. "Now's n-not the time t-o… s-start…" Sith's smooth motions turned robotic and its words died off when it simply shut down. Yuffie looked up at the doll and brought her hands to her mouth. Her eyes were full of renewed tears as she looked numbly at the mechanical doll that Reeve was supposed to be controlling.

"Cait?" Yuffie questioned the doll as she looked into the black mechanical eyes that functioned as built in cameras. It allowed Reeve, the man who made Cait Sith, to see what was going on. He once showed her how the doll worked, and she had enjoyed listening to him as he explained the devices within like an excited child. "Reeve?" her voice was breaking at the silence of the doll. "_Reeve_?"

"C'mon, ya damn brat!" Cid yelled as he picked the young girl up and threw her over his shoulder. The pilot looked all over at the flowing mako and couldn't tell how people were dying either, but he felt that if it _was_ because of the green liquid then it was better to get the few that were still up far away from this place. He didn't want to mention to the girl that Barret had suffered the same fate as Tifa and that the two lay half submerged in a mako puddle only a few meters away.

"NO!" Yuffie cried out as her hands slipped away from the cat doll. She didn't want to believe it, she didn't want to believe that from somewhere nearby, far from the battle but close enough to control Cait, Reeve was there… alone, dead. It was the only explanation as to why Cait Sith had ceased to function. "NOOO, REEEEVE!" the ninja continued to shriek out as she began to kick and punch at Cid to get away. She wanted to run to the van where Reeve was. She had to prove to herself that he wasn't dead. She never told him how she felt. She never said how she felt because her father had never believed that people not of Wutai blood would ever be suitable marriage material. She never…

Cid helped the petrified people get up. The girl he was carrying suddenly went from kicking and screaming to bawling and grabbing at the back of his shirt as if her life depended on it. Only this once, Cid decided, was he going to let Cloud and Vincent take care of the problem while he got everyone to safety.

Yuffie pulled Cid's blue shirt up to hide her face when she couldn't contain her emotions any longer. She tried to kid herself, to believe that Reeve couldn't be dead and that he just wasn't at his computer for that moment, but she knew better than that. All of her strength left her and the young ninja allowed herself be bounced around on Cid's shoulder as he carried her away from the catastrophe. It wasn't supposed to be like this. They were supposed to stop Shinra long before any of this could happen. How were they not fast enough?

Yuffie wasn't ready for when Cid's legs gave out, and she yelped when he was pitched forward and collapsed on top of her. The ninja landed hard on her backside and wondered what had knocked Cid unconscious as they laid there in the mud. "Cid?" she asked as she looked down at the blond man. He was unresponsive, unmoving...

There was a dead body on top of her, Cid's dead body... it was on top of her.

She started to shiver as a new fright took hold of her, suddenly on the verge of hyperventilating.

Yuffie's terrified scream was so loud that it overpowered everything else. The girl immediately struggled to push the dead body away and immediately scrambled backwards. It was Cid and Reeve and Tifa and everybody, and they were dying all around her and she couldn't take this!

Her back hit a dead, disfigured tree and she immediately tried to find some crook in it to hide from all of this insanity. The ninja sat there trying to look as small as possible while she brought her knees up to her chest and covered her mouth with her hands to keep any noise she made from being too loud. Tears slipped and ran down her cheeks as she rocked back and forth, and the only thing she was left to do was ask _why_.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

Cloud heard Yuffie's cry and the instinctual urge to protect the youngest of their group overcame him. He scanned the area to see if he could locate the girl, but a hand grabbed his arm to bring him back to attention.

"Cloud!"

The blond turned as the gunman pointed his finger to a different kind of light coming from on top of the tower, and Cloud nodded in understanding. Shinra was cutting off all outside power so there was no way to get in to shut off the mako pumps, but there might be one on top. The WEAPON wasn't an issue anymore and was quickly left for dead as the two scaled up the building. They noticed light gray clouds forming above the tower, slowly swirling as if a storm was coming.

Shinra's mako pipes burst open as the pressure inside them became too much, and the few people left below gave renewed screams of terror as green mako split through the surface like lava.

The building trembled and cracked, and it was getting difficult to get good footing. The air, filled with the heavy mist of mako, was turning a noticeably green hue. Cloud was the first one to reach the top as his gloved hand grabbed onto the wall's ledge to pull himself up. Vincent was only a leap away, and as they got up they found themselves witnessing a small battle already taking place. What they found about that battle was what shocked them both. It was a battle of the dead…

Cloud's heart sank as he found that Sephiroth was yet again in the world of the living and stood hovering above the ground. His elongated katana was stained red with the blood of his enemies while his hair gravitated almost disturbingly in its elegance against the rage of the wind. His menacing smile wasn't for the newcomers, but toward two others who hadn't caught on to Cloud and Vincent's presence. It was apparent that the three had been fighting for a while, but for how long was unknown. The man and woman were both hunched over on the ground, and Cloud immediately recognized them both. One was Aerith, already bloodied from the battle and still wearing the dress that she had died in. The other one fighting alongside her… Cloud would know that spiky head of raven hair and SOLDIER 1st uniform from anywhere.

"Zack."

Vincent turned toward his comrade. The gunner barely heard the word because of the gusting winds. The blonds' face was as passive as always, but he'd learned long ago to read the other's eyes. Right now they were pained. It was all Vincent needed to know that the unknown male was one of Cloud's friends. If the dead Sephiroth was here, and the dead flower girl was here, then it was a good assumption that this 'Zack' had been dead too.

While Cloud and Vincent regained balance on the quaking roof, Aerith changed her grip on the staff as she twirled it around. She was almost ready to cast a healing spell on Zack and herself; only Sephiroth didn't allow it to go off. Time seemed to slow for Cloud in those few moments it took for Sephiroth to send a powerful slash into Aerith's torso. Her face twisted in pain as she fell to the roof and blood gushed from her mouth when she landed.

"Aerith!" Cloud yelled and the two rushed to her side, the gunman firing at the silver-haired madman while he ran. He cradled the small woman as she labored to breathe.

"…Cloud…" her brilliant green eyes looked into his blue, shocked that he was there too.

"How…" Cloud tried to ask the Ancient how she came back from the dead, but couldn't seem to form the words. He tore his sleeve off from his shirt and put pressure on the wound as he again tried to understand how the three of them came into being. "Why?"

Before Aerith could give him an answer, her eyes widened as a massive coughing fit caused more blood to splatter onto her chest and chin. Zack, being the awesome fighter that he was, called to him between fighting off strokes from Masamune as he tried to stop his own wounds from bleeding him out.

"Cloud, it's the Lifestream!" Zack ducked a swing, "the planet," counterattack, "creating a Materia," parried, "last chance!" Cloud did't understand what Zack was trying to tell him. The planet was creating a Materia? Was it different from the old ones? What did it do? What type was it? Cloud wanted to ask, but wasn't given the option. The SOLDIER tried to dodge the next swing, but failed as the long sword went through his stomach, _"…ahg!_"

"_ZACK_!" Cloud yelled, unable to get up and assist with Aerith cradled in his arms.

Sephiroth chuckled and slowly pulled the sword out from the other's flesh. "What's wrong, Zack? Not as fast as you used to be?"

Zack's hair, once spiky enough to rival Cloud's own, was flattened down into dark tresses while the mako soaked them down. He held back a whimper as his hand put stinging pressure to the newly created wound. "Bastard! _Shit_!" he complained and fell back.

Sephiroth smirked and was about to pierce through the other's esophagus when another gunshot rang through the air. It was the only warning Sephiroth had to deflect the bullet with his sword. Now his attention was focused on the one that kept firing rounds from a distance.

"_Sephiroth_!" Cloud yelled in rage as he gripped his sword, letting Aerith go and ready to help the two. He was just getting up as the flower girl gathered enough strength to grab hold of his shirt and stop him.

"The Materia… it's a _Time_," she greedily took in breaths as shallow coughs interrupted her, "don't let Sephir-th get it… or this, will all be… for nothing." Her delicate hand fell from his shirt as her strength left her. Aerith's eyes closed. Her paling features and bluing lips took on a sharp contrast to the darkening blood drying on her chin. Cloud could only watch in silence as the woman that he could have once loved was taken from him again by the very same man. The blond tried to hold his feelings back as he slowly reached up to wipe away the wet trails from her face. He wanted to say it to her this time, wanted to say how sorry he was that he couldn't save her. Only, when he opened his mouth, he was interrupted by another.

"You called, _Cloud_?"

The blond gasped as he was caught unaware and barely had enough time to roll out of the sword's reach. The battle between Sephiroth and the two other men waged on as the sky turned menacing. The clouds darkened and spun like a maelstrom. The light that had once seemed to come from nowhere now began to focus in the middle of it. The winds picked up and threatened to blow them off the roof. As the fight progressed, the building started to crumble from the quake of the earth and deteriorate from an unknown acid circulating in the Lifestream. The three jumped off falling steel walls as they each tried to get their attacks in.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

Zack gazed up at the sky as the roof slowly started to crack around him. He felt light headed, _really_ light headed, and dizzy from all the blood loss. He used what little strength he had to lift his head up and move his hand so he could see the extent of the damage. There was blood everywhere and more was rapidly flowing out of the wound that his once friend and General had given him. He knew he was dying, he knew because it felt the same as the last time he'd been bled out while trying to protect Cloud, but it was worth it. It had always been worth it. Zack let his upper body rest back on the ground as he turned to look at Aerith. How come he still had to fail at helping a single person? How come she had to die, not only once, but twice in order to help save the world? Zack tried to protect them both, but in the end he couldn't. He still had so much to learn.

The winds were making Aerith's long brown hair and pink dress fly in every which way, and he could only stare while he remained immobile on the roof. Cloud really was their last hope.

Zack turned to the sky once again; it really did look tormented. The planet looked like it was in disorder, and he feared what would happen to those already dead… and those soon to be dead, if the planet was destroyed. He knew Cloud would reach the Materia in time, but there was still the other possibility that worried the hell out of him.

Aerith didn't explain to either of them exactly what the Materia could do, and he wasn't sure she was fully aware of it herself. The two of them just followed the madman out of the Lifestream when it turned warped and had only hoped that they could stop whatever new plan he'd come up with.

Unable to do anything more, Zack moved his hand away from his wound so he could grip the hilt of his sword. He took a few steady breaths while trying to stay calm. He knew death would take him soon, and he wanted to ignore the part of him that was still scared of it. He closed his eyes in an attempt to hide away from the lurking darkness that crept into the edges of his vision. It made him so dizzy. His eyes were shut tight and his lungs harshly took in air, fighting for life. He thought he could almost imagine the familiar feeling of safety… of a home back in Shinra.

"Angeal…"

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

Sephiroth was the first to land. He grabbed a metal pipe in mid-fall and threw it into Vincent's heart, causing the gunman to hurtle into a pile of rubble. Cloud landed in a puddle of knee-high mako, and light reflected off the ooze-covered destruction around him. Vincent, struggling to take in air, had landed between him and Sephiroth.

A blinding flash of light from above made them look up. From the sky, a small light-blue orb of pure concentrated mako fell. The Materia landed close to Vincent's now still frame, and both swordsmen simultaneously dove toward the object. Each had their eyes focused on it, trying to be the first to grab it, both getting closer, feeling the warmth as if reaching for the life of the planet itself.

Neither knew who grabbed it first, but at the touch of raw power... what was strong enough to control time itself... came forth a brilliant whiteness that burst through all matter as the Materia activated and engulfed everything it consumed in a warm, pleasant heat.

A gentle summer's breeze went through in passive stillness, and the moment's pause created a serenity that felt almost as if stepping into nirvana… the Promised Land, but the feeling was hastily torn away as it suddenly turned chaotic. The wind beat down and turned as sharp as blades as it cut into skin. Its effect fogged up the mind while the vacuum in the air threatened suffocation that seemed like it'd go on forever. Unknown amounts of time passed, but if felt as if just as soon as the winds came, they went.

The white substance faded.

And slit, mako green eyes opened.

_**To be continued…**_

AN: _Whew,_ _there's the intro! It's just a little more story on how they got sent back in time. Though it's awesome how people have Gaia thinking about its people, I'd like to think that to the planet we're all just a bunch of termites 0.0 How can it tell the difference between a good one, a bad one, and the one that lives across the street?_

_Now I'm sure people went "WTF?" when Sephiroth, Aerith, and Zack popped up. I would have had Zack or Aerith explain it to Cloud more (or had Cloud be more like 'wtf' for that matter) but they were all getting their asses handed to them by Sephiroth. Not much room for explanations, you know?_  
_Now for a Jenova theory: mine is that Jenova, the destroyer of worlds, is used to planets dying and slipping through Lifestreams while finding opportunities to come back into existence, and that's how Sephiroth knew... by freaky alien telepathy-like abilities. While Sephiroth was coming back into the world, Aerith and Zack saw this and took the opportunity to follow him out._

_*laughs* and Scarlet is such a bitch that her part isn't even OOC. ^-^_

_Please Review! (Criticism accepted as long as it's_ constructive...)


	2. This Life

AN: _I'm so happy your guys stuck around after the intro. I know it wasn't the most entertaining one out there, but parts of it needed to be told to give better understanding to how I perceived the FF7 world from its characters, to its politics, to how important mako is to the planet._

Oh, and a FYI. I have the Shinra soldiers based on ranks: the recruits (basically the ones who are deciding what area they want to get at Shinra), the cadets (ones who are learning to fight), foot soldiers (soldiers for short; ones that are ready to fight, yet unenhanced, aka: infantry), and SOLDIERs (mako enhanced, and in ranks of 1, 2, and 3 depending on how good they are). SOLDIER Firsts are the ones who are given titles (Officer, Lieutenant, etc).  
Well, let's get to the story now. To those still reading this, please enjoy!

mirrorshine- _Thank you for the review! You have no idea how happy I was when I got one. XD_

**Rating**, **Disclaimer**, and _**iWarnings**_**!** are still the same.

**This Life **  
**(By: Drowning Pool)**

**Chapter 1**

**General Sephiroth was sitting **in the back of the recruitment building in Midgar. The auditorium was filled with the noise of new recruits as Heidegger finished his speech. A few SOLDIERs and Turks were there to be made examples of what the youngsters could one day become if they put their minds to it.

A scientist stepped up to the podium.. another speech sent to the mass crowd.

Sephiroth had perfect stature in his chair while he focused on the raised surface, but his eyes were half-lidded as he dozed off from boredom. The only times in which he was forced into awareness were when sharp movements came from the two women to his left. Usually the General would be secluded with his two friends, but this time the area was crowded. He couldn't sleep to pass the time.

"It's a shame it's storming outside." The two females started their short bursts of whispered conversation again.

"Yes, I know. I hate doing career day inside. With all these brats _breathing_ it gets so stuffy," the brunette replied.

He sighed in exasperation. No matter how quiet they tried to be, those two women were easily the loudest whisperers that he'd ever had the misfortune of sitting next to.

A few minutes passed by and the scientist was still doing his 'brief' explanation to inform the recruits what would be expected of them if they wanted to apply in the Research Department.

It was Career Day; a day which was annoying to any Shinra employee and exciting to those signing up. There were many options to choose from at Shinra, and each field had more specific areas of study upon gaining more knowledge and promotions: Research, Military, Office, Maintenance, Transporter… the list continued. Gaining enough knowledge in the field of Research could open up areas of Science, Weapons Development, and Medicine. Military brought you from a cadet to foot soldier, and then you could path off differently to either head into SOLDIER or join Shinra's personal security - the Turks. Office jobs granted desk and secretary work and, if lucky enough, could promote to Shinra Executive Staff. Maintenance was the least favorite seeing as how the name just meant 'glorified janitor'. Transportation taught how to operate vehicles of any type and deliver anything from mako wiring to carrying SOLDIERs to war.

After the speeches were made, the men nearby took their places behind the Shinra desks and the recruits signed up to the fields they were interested in.

Sephiroth's job: make an appearance to promote the field of military. At least it _was_ his only job... up until a moment ago.

There'd been a few particular close crashes of lightning during the scientist's speech. It was odd when the power never seemed to go out, because if it did then the lights would have dimmed right before the generator kicked in. It had taken half an hour for the electricians to learn that something was wrong.

One of the workers that came in late said they'd been caught in the storm and mentioned that the block's power went out and never came back on. The electricians investigated the newer generator to confirm that it was running, only it wasn't. Now they wondered why this building had power when no one else in the area did.

So here the General was, in the dreary auditorium basement of a Shinra recruitment building overseeing the problem of why they had power when the main generator wasn't working. He couldn't help but wonder why. He had experience with tech. support, but his skill wasn't nearly good enough as say… an electrician's. The General felt a small twinge of annoyance from the lack of competence Shinra's paid workers had.

His black boots sloshed in the one-inch water covering the cement floor as he turned the corner and into a heated argument. One man was holding the instruction manual as the other was acting hysterical and steadily pointing back and forth to the generator and the metal in his hands. As soon as they saw the military's leader the argument came to an abrupt halt.

"_Please_, don't stop under my account," Sephiroth spoke, the sarcasm wasn't lost on either of them.

"Sir!" the one holding the blueprints exclaimed as the second fell silent. "This old generator was supposed to be shut off when the newer one took its place."

"Then shut it off."

"It's not as simple as that, sir." The man looked uneasy while the other held the broken piece of metal up to show. "That's the switch, sir…"

"Why not just leave the device as it is until after the storm?"

"This generator was hooked up by someone who didn't know what they were doing, or maybe they did know but just wanted to cut corners. The point is that it's hooked up to the whole sector. It's running on other people's backup power, sir!"

"Including the hospital's…" the quieter one added, "and at this moment their machines are most likely running on old spare batteries, and there's never been that much juice in them… sir. The people that are currently dependent on the machines… we don't know how much longer they have."

Sephiroth walked by the two smaller men and glanced at the design. It was different from the paper model, but the generator looked to be the same type that was hooked up in his apartment. He now knew why he was asked to come down here… he had to fix his own all the time, but he wasn't going to be fixing this one. The generator needed to be shut down.

"Oh! These are the blueprints, but this generator is different from them and we don't know which ones… to…" the electrician trailed off as he herded them to the stairs on the other side of the room. The General took off his leather jacket and handed it to the confused men.

"Hold this," he said as he fisted his left hand and charged the machine.

'Sir!' and 'NO!' were the last two things he heard as his gloved hand crashed through the generator and ripped at its wires. It took everything he had to hold back a yell as enough electricity to power the whole 1st section of Midgar flooded through him. He fell as everything went dark.

A few moments later the lights came back as the new generator clicked on, and the two electricians stared in shocked silence at the silver-haired General collapsed on the ground.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

**Beep… beep… beep… beep… beep… beep… beep… beep… beep…**

Sephiroth felt different when he first regained consciousness. His head was pounding, but it felt clearer since… well, he didn't know when the last time that was.

**Beep… beep… beep… **resounded throughout the room. He couldn't help but think… was he finally caught by the Wutai? Was this their new method of torturing someone to make them talk? **Beep… beep…** because it was probably working.

Wait, no, he was fighting with Cloud… No, he'd been fixing a generator… **Beep… beep…** That bastard killed him twice! **Beep…** He'd lost a battle? **Beep…** Where was his Second in Command? **Beep… beep… beep…**

Arg… the _beeping_.

He let out an audible groan after a sizable throb attacked his head, and he sat up in the small bed.

"And he awakes," a deep mellow voice beside him spoke. Sephiroth snapped his head around to see an unfamiliar… familiar redheaded male sitting on one of the visitor's chairs reading. The man's tone changed to his usual bored drawl. "Thrilled to see you too," the other said as he got up, straightened his red leather jacket, and made his way to the door. "Anyways, I'll go tell Angeal you're up_."_

'_I know… his name…'_ Sephiroth thought as he tried to place where from. "Though I can't say for certain if you're all there or not," the redhead teased, and then looked a bit more serious. "We didn't want to leave you alone like that with Hojo around."

'_His name…'_

"Genesis." The name came to him so suddenly that he spoke it as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Yes?" the man named Genesis turned around, ready to either walk out the door or stay in the room.

"Nothing…" '_I can't think straight_.' "It's nothing. You may leave." '_This feels too familiar. I know him, trust him?'_ The redhead nodded and walked out of the room. Before he left, Sephiroth noted the masked look of worry in the other's eyes, and he knew the answer. '_I trust him.'_

He looked around in confusion and spotted many variations of flowers and 'thank you' cards. To his right was a small table that was cleared of everything except a single green leaf. He picked it up and smelled it. Peppermint… Angeal must've been here too.

And then the memories came together.

Genesis and Angeal were simultaneously brought into Shinra. The two were from the same village so they'd already known one another, were closer in age, and had already developed ties before they had met him. The three of them had been told by their professors that they were being introduced to each other to promote healthy competition. But even back then he heard the hidden words behind the dialogue: which boy was going to surpass the others? At first, Genesis and Angeal had always found ways to pick on him, but as they grew into their late teens they'd somehow developed a bond from their shared military circumstances.

Genesis and Loveless, Angeal and his puppy, his death, their deaths, _her_ death.

_The anger toward humanity! The betrayal of the Ancients!_ Mother!...

_Mother?_

Sequences overflowed in his mind, and if it weren't for that one word he'd probably try to grasp onto everything.

Mother. He remembered how she'd coo at him, told him of his greatness… screamed in rage as she told her story on how the planet and the Ancients had cruelly taken away her freedom. She had made him fight for her as she told him of her diabolical plans for sweet revenge, but now… now he didn't feel her fury, or the revenge. The reason his head was so painfully clear was because she wasn't in there anymore, she wasn't in it, and he realized…

'_I was being controlled by an emotionally unbalanced space alien that claimed a birthright over me when she must have been dead centuries prior to my birth. How in Gaia's name did that happen?'_

Sephiroth couldn't remember the moment when his thoughts started to turn into plans of destruction, or even when he stopped caring about the lives of others. He couldn't remember how, or why, he went insane…

He jumped when a knock at the door brought him from his thoughts. A nurse came in, checked the machines, and asked him some questions. Soon after she left, a doctor came in to recheck the charts and told him that he could leave.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

It had been two weeks since Sephiroth was discharged from the hospital and given military leave to recuperate, and during that time Angeal and Genesis had gone on a spoof mission to see if Zack was ready for the SOLDIER 1st test. It really only needed Angeal (as he was the kid's instructor) and one other officer overseeing how the nineteen-year-old worked, but the kid was so friendly that it was hard to keep an unbiased eye. That was where Genesis came in. The man had a knack for cutting off all ties for the person he was critiquing, and he was good at it… he made a kid cry once.

Time apart allowed Sephiroth the space to recollect and think of this strange situation. He was the only one with memories from before the time-lapse, so it was a give-in that he'd gotten to the Materia first during the battle with Cloud. This vacation of sorts also gave him the opportunity to try and theorize how Jenova had gotten into his mind. The alien had been in Nibelheim, so it might have been because of the range. Maybe she had control over him because he'd been close by? It would also explain why he didn't feel her now. It was the only logical deduction that he could come up with, and it was correct in theory.

Whatever it was, he knew he needed to be cautious and avoid her in the future. Seeing as how he'd snapped at Nibelheim, he figured that it was the last place he needed to be. Jenova wouldn't control him this time. He would be careful of that.

Then there was Cloud, who he hadn't seen or heard about in the SOLDIER ranks. Sephiroth hadn't brought it up either, but he was interested in what the other was doing. Last time they fought, the blond had been on the same level as him, and in his mid twenties, no less. It made him wonder what the swordsman was like as a young SOLDIER.

A SOLDIER that… over-killed him. A bitter feeling slowly rose up, and Sephiroth wasn't sure if it was self-directed for losing those battles or because of the way the other warrior had done the fighting.

A cry of "Sephiroth!" was all the warning he had before he sidestepped and let a black spiky head of hair crash into the floor. He gracefully turned as the one who made the sneak attack got up and rubbed his nose.

"Zackary, welcome back," he said fondly and earned a bright smile from the young SOLDIER.

"Good to be back, General!" bright blue eyes shone as the kid recapped his days spent fighting random enemies on the field. "…and Genesis said 'with all that energy I'm sure you could-hmph!" a gloved hand appeared and covered the kid's mouth to prevent any further communication.

"Got here just in time... and there's no need to tell the General every. single. thing." Genesis warned as he gave Zack an obvious glare. Sephiroth was certain that whatever it was that Genesis had told the boy wasn't for innocent ears, and the young and usually naive Zack would be like a tape recorder if he thought it _seemed_ funny.

"Oh, General Sephiroth," Zack spoke after removing the hand away. "May I be excused to go to the recruitment building? One of my buddies is still a cadet, and he's getting a promotion to foot soldier today!"

"You may," Sephiroth nodded for the other to leave, but then Zack grabbed hold of his arm and tugged him along.

"Angeal's gonna be waiting on us too. I told him we'd meet him there. C'mon Genesis!"

Sephiroth turned his head and gave an amused smile at the stoned expression given by the redhdeaded Commander. Genesis must have been chasing the SOLDIER all day and had finally caught up to him here.

"C'mon, Genesis!" he teasingly echoed as he headed to the other building. He laughed internally at the secretaries and co-workers who all stared in astonishment as a Second Class SOLDIER dragged him around by the elbow.

He could get used to this again.

The military building stationed in Midgar was for public displays and 'feel good' shows, but here in Junon most activities weren't for random outsiders. The military rarely allowed the media to come in. This promoted a higher degree of secrecy, military bonding… and _open seating_.

One of the habits Sephiroth was glad he slipped back into was his ability to look like he was listening… without really listening.

Their row was completely void of anyone and there seemed to be an invisible barrier that consisted of a twelve foot radius that no one wanted to try and pass. Plus, with Angeal and Genesis by his side, Sephiroth could lower his guard enough to get in the mental mood for a long, calming sit-and-stare. Angeal called them power naps and learned that if he was too focused on one person talking then he was most likely asleep. Genesis told him that it was creepy seeing his eyes open and nod his head at the right times, yet still be half comatose. Both only hoped that Zack never picked up the trait.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

'_Oh, Goddess, he's doing it again_.' The redhead thought as he looked over to his green-eyed friend, noticing that Sephiroth was a little _too_ focused on the man at the podium. The General was leaning back in the chair and had a false attentive look that was somehow completed with perfect posture. The other's body was on autopilot, so when the people around them clapped then the leather clad hands clapped in turn.

"Starker, Kyle," the man at the podium said, calling names to promote the cadets into foot soldiers.

Genesis had to tear his eyes away from the disturbing sight that was Sephiroth to watch as the new foot soldier took his helmet off and held it by his right hip.

"Thank you, sir!" the boy took his piece of paper, proof of promotion, and went to the left side of the room with the others. Everyone clapped.

"Stonson, Guy."

"Thank you, sir!"

Angeal tried to hide a yawn that came out while his protégé sat at the edge of the seat. '_Finally, his friend must be up soon,'_ Genesis thought while he released the yawn he caught from Angeal.

"Strider, Gibbs."

"Thank you, sir!" Everyone clapped and the boy moved left.

"Strife, Cloud," the smallest cadet went to the podium and took off his helmet. Genesis groaned in annoyance at the boy's appearance. It seemed like it was every other year when there was one straggly-looking kid to slip by the recruiters.

"Thank you, sir!" Everyone clapped and Zack even gave out a couple of wolf whistles as the boy took the paper and went to the left of the room. Genesis rolled his eyes. Even if he did find the kid's physical entry tests, Shinra would still keep him on bored just because he'd made it into soldier. The Commander gave a brief glance over to his sleeping friend to see if the other's eyes had begun to close yet, but he found Sephiroth to be wide awake, not clapping, and _very_ focused.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

What had he been thinking about earlier before Zack had charged him? _Hmn_… Sephiroth started to doze off as the speaker started his hour long speech before the names of the promoted were called, and then another half hour speech would be given after. Shinra _loved_ their speeches.

The General was currently remembering the fights that the one SOLDIER and he had over the years. Oh, he remembered getting stabbed in the back by that little shit quite vividly. It was when they'd been inside the reactor near Nibelheim. Sure, he'd been on the brink of insanity and the memories leading up to that moment were somewhat blurred, but that had still been a cheap shot… and it had _hurt. _

The second time wasn't as vivid. He remembered that it was located inside the Northern Crater. He had been doing… something… he'd taken on some kind of mission from the alien. Yes, if he had completed what he was sent out to do then the planet would have been defenseless and that would have been bad, but Cloud had created a group and had made it their big plan to charge him all at once. Of course, if you can't win a one-on-one match fairly then do it with numbers… a little _unfair_ perhaps_?_

He didn't recall much of the third time. Actually, he couldn't even remember how he'd gotten to the unfamiliar area, but he knew that he had not been at his full strength. What he did remember was that the smaller man had taken the advantage of striking first while he had still been taking in his surroundings. Multiple blades had swung at him in rapid succession… multiple… _painful _times. That was over-kill. Oh, yes, those three fights were fought _dirty_.

The fourth time they fought... Sephiroth couldn't remember any of the details at all, only that he been there and must have (obviously) gotten to the Materia before the other had.

'_He might still be a SOLDIER 3rd Class,' _Sephiroth thought,_ 'since I haven't heard of him in the 1st or 2nd ranks. When I see him I'm going to make his life miserable. I'll pound it into his head the _right_ way to take someone on. Then I'll sick Angeal on him and teach him honor in battle. I'll make him help Genesis carry all his damn books around to teach him discipline!'_

As he was lost in his thoughts and was only vaguely aware of his hands clapping with the crowd's.

'_He's probably using dirty tactics even now... thinks he can get away with it because no one's called him on it. I know he has the skill, and I'll make sure he uses it this time. Stabbing an opponent in the back is for the Turks, not_ _SOLDIERs. I'll be sure he works twice as hard as those aiming for the upper ranks; I'll make him run two hundred miles in half the time, I'll keep him in the ocean twice as long… while it's storming.'_

The noise of the crowd brought him back to semi-awareness just as he heard a familiar name being called out, and he watched as a helmet came off to reveal familiar blond hair framing a much too young face... Cloud wasn't even a SOLDIER yet?

'_You have _got_ to be joking_.'

"Thank you, sir!"

The crowd clapped, Zack whistled... Sephiroth couldn't believe his eyes. The promotions were over. The auditorium slowly emptied while Sephiroth was stuck in his chair.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

He watched from his office window as Zack and Cloud walked on the dark, dank street below. The air was heavy with the recent rain, such as it was during Junon's storm season. Zack had the other in a playful, one armed hug. Every now and then he'd get the other in a head lock, which was easy since the height of the blond was quite short in comparison. The taller gave the kid a light punch on the arm to knock him away, only to reach out and start all over again.

_'This isn't right_.' Sephiroth's green eyes gazed at the friendly banter below_. _The blond seemed to grow a little bolder and began hit back. Zack jumped away, bent his knees, and brought up his fists in what looked like a mock battle stance. The smaller one did the same.

_'This isn't right at all_.'

The fight didn't last two minutes before Zack knocked away the blonds' punch and made the motion work against his opponent. The taller of the two took that chance and threw the boy's body over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. The blonds' face flushed a darker hue and tried to get away. It proved to be futile; the other's hold was too strong, and he seemed content to walk to the soldier barracks with the smaller male struggling over his shoulders.

Sephiroth had a hand over his mouth while waves of disappointment crashed through him. Why was the blond so _weak_?

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

"Zack!" Cloud voiced his distress. "Put me down, _please_!"

"Nu-uh!" Zack gave a childish shake of his head, "I need to restrain you from hitting me!"

"You started it!"

"But we SOLDIERs are very delicate, and we need to stop people like you from discovering the points of weakness to our very delicated delicatiness."

"Zack, those aren't even words."

"Besides," the raven-haired male continued, ignored the other's comment, "I noticed that Sephiroth was looking at you."

"What?"

"Yeah! The only time he does that is when he sees people with potential! So, we gotta toughen you up and get some meat on those bones!" The only thing that the SOLDIER got from his long time friend was silence and he, being the great and terrific friend that he is, didn't particularly like it when Cloud became like this.

They met almost a year and a half ago when they were both cadets. Back then Cloud was a little chatterbox, and it was easy talking to another guy that had been raised from the same type of place he came from. Well, actually the areas were completely different. He was from Gongaga, and their seasons consisted of heat, humidity, and more heat that was thought to spontaneously birth poisonous frogs. Cloud was from Nibelheim and told him that the town was dry and almost always cold, and they killed wolves for their furs. The only similarities between the two towns were their small population and the fact that there was _nothing_ out there besides mako reactors.

At the time he was happy being just a plain old cadet, especially since it kept him out of trouble. He didn't particularly care about the promotions or the titles, but Cloud had the dream of becoming the best and it somehow rubbed off on him.

So they worked their asses off to try and make it to foot soldier. He got the promotion on the first try, but Cloud didn't. That wasn't even the reason Cloud became more withheld. Afterward he was still smiling and saying that he'd catch up soon. Yet, after failing several tries while listening to others' ridicule and watching as those same peers succeeded… well, that would bring anyone's spirit down.

But now he was pretty sure he'd found a way to get Cloud back to his old self again, and it wouldn't take more than the wrath of hell to keep him from using it!

"I bet you can make it into SOLDIER-"

"Zack," Cloud growled out.

"-in no time at all!" he continued.

"Zack, what about your own training?"

"I'll be like… your mentor for a while, ok?"

"… Zack."

"We'll start off with the workouts and the stretches the SOLDIER 3rds use."

"…"

He frowned at the lack of response he was getting. Cloud should be saying _something_. The SOLDIER gave an evil grin as he raised his hand and brought it down hard upon the other's backside.

"_OW_!" the blond yelped. "_ZACK_!"

"Yeah?" he asked, innocently looking back at his friend.

"Why did you slap my ass?" Cloud yelled in frustration and renewed his attempts to get back on the ground.

"Oh, good game!"

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

The lab inside Shinra's Scientific Research building was quiet. The room would have smelt too clean from the powerful odor of anesthetics if the distinct stench of blood and mako hadn't accompanied it. The patients were spread out in the area and on their own sanitized surface, and each one was covered with tubes that kept them alive, yet unconscious. The doctors in the room were each assigned to a specimen and had assistants to accompany them with their work. The assistants were scattered throughout the area as they checked and rechecked their data sheets on the information gathered.

The Head Professor had taken the best spot to oversee the others' work. Latex covered hands jotted notes on both patient and doctor alike. He wrote down whether they were moving too slowly, if each group had proper silent communication, how clean the areas were, and so-forth. He also noted the specimens' conditions.

"Professor Hojo," a man politely bowed to him with papers in hand. It was his personal assistant. "These are the reports for today's work."

Hojo frowned as he scanned through the files. "I was expecting better results than this."

"My apologies, Professor."

"Project S isn't in the reports. Why?" he demanded to know.

"The subject hasn't reported to the test lab since the last scheduled appointment because of his leave, Professor. That was a month ago."

"Very well. I'll contact him and remind him of his belated engagement," Hojo mumbled in annoyance and left the room.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

It had been a rather disturbing day for the great General Sephiroth. First, there was Cloud. He didn't think that the young blond would be so… _scrawny_. Just the thought of losing to someone like that was upsetting. Sure, in a few years the kid would grow, but where was the potential? It just wasn't _there.._. The second thing was the fact that Genesis had to go back out on a solo mission to Wutai just because the President felt the need to intimidate the Wutai government a little more.

'_But anymore than this and the Wutai are going to snap_.' Sephiroth sat down in his chair and hid his face with his hands as he tried to think.

The last thing that made the week so unpleasant was the call from Hojo himself. How could Sephiroth have forgotten about the endless bi-monthly tests he had to endure? Last night gave him a wake-up call on exactly what hatred felt like in the form of the Professor. The General was in the lab room, he remembered the pungent smell of those rooms, and he felt like a pincushion with the way they poked him. He was sure that Hojo made the stay unbearable in his own special way. The man had personally done most of the tests, piercing him with multiple needles. At the end of the session, the man had given him an extra dosage of mako; darker, more concentrated… the experimental kind.

His sleep was restless, and at 6 am the contents of the injection still throbbed in his veins. A ringing came and he had to force himself out of his grogginess to pick it up. He grumbled, crawled to the other side of his bed, and picked up the phone on its third ring. "Who's calling?" he growled out.

"As fresh as a drop of dew resting atop the peaks of mountains, I see," came a voice on the other end.

"Genesis," he acknowledged while rolling onto his back, covering his face with an arm in attempt to block out the morning light.

"The mako effects should have worn off by now. Did he do something new?"

"No, I just got the treatment last night."

"Yesterday?" He could almost hear the questions going through the other's head.

"Yes, I forgot to go last week, so we planned it for last night."

There was a pause at the other end of the line. They never saw eye to eye when talking about Hojo. The Commander was always on about some company conspiracy that the scientist was helping with. Sephiroth called it paranoia.

It was an unspoken agreement that Genesis wouldn't talk of company theories or mad scientists, and he wouldn't compare Loveless to old children's books.

"I'll be in Wutai for about another week." There was heavy silence in the air, the two of them content to just have communication again. "Sephiroth..."

"Hmn?" silence again, and whatever his friend was going to ask was lost as the subject changed.

"I need to call Angeal too. He snuck something in my bags that the searchers… well, they didn't seem to be in a joking mood."

"Alright. Goodnight, Genesis."

"Good _morning_, Sephiroth."

He heard the hidden annoyance in the voice, but chose to ignore it in favor of hanging up. Genesis never did get use to the drastic changes in sleeping patterns when entering a new time zone. He turned back over to his original spot and worked his way under the covers. He really wanted to use the last hour he had for sleep, and he would just as soon as he got comfortable. He just had to stop thinking of that blond…

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

Cloud was currently on lunch break. While carrying his food tray, he walked to one of the tables that his roommates picked and sat somewhere in between them and another group. The cafeteria at the base reminded him of his old school in Nibelheim. The only difference was that in Nibelheim there was the popular area and the area where everyone else sat, but in this place everyone sat in friendly clusters and chatted amongst themselves while the failures were alienated. Even though he'd finally been promoted, Cloud was one of those failures because of how long he'd been there as a cadet. The others had either been promoted faster or had left Shinra.

He used his plastic spoon to move his mystery meat around on the plate. Ever since Zack had been giving him lessons, the guys he shared a room with had been giving him a cold shoulder. He could hear the whispers even now. They said that a SOLDIER 2nd was giving him _special treatment,_ but he could see why they were gossiping about that. Zack _had_ been giving him special treatment. They went through extra stretches and workouts and even ran around the track together. When they both had free time they'd head to the gym and do extra pull-ups and make use of the weights.

The only thing that gave Cloud the motivation to keep going was his dream to be in SOLDIER. Strong, respected, someone who protects others even at the cost of their own lives. If he worked hard enough, then one day he'd make it… someday.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

"C'mon, Cloud, keep up!" Zack yelled out as he jumped over a beam on the track. He quickly glanced back and saw that the other was two beams behind him.

"I'm trying!" Cloud panted before taking another jump. The beams were something new to their routine.

"One more lap and we're gonna head to the gym and get some stretches in! But we gotta hurry cause Angeal told me to meet him in an hour."

"Ok!" Cloud called back, just trying to keep up until they were done.

In the gym they stretched out their arms and legs to get cooled off, and Cloud did some chin-ups on the bar.

"They're going to hold SOLDIER exams in a week. Think you wanna try out for it?" Zack asked from the floor, reaching his hands to his feet.

"You think I can?" Cloud pessimistically replied.

"Well, I don't know, but you've definitely improved since the foot soldier exams. Never hurts to try, right?"

The other dropped from the bar and shook out his arms. "You really think I'm ready for it?"

Zack paused and pretended to give a thoughtful look. He knew that Cloud was physically ready. In fact, he was sure the other could have passed the previous time, but failed due to overanalyzing and worrying. He just hopped that he wouldn't regret this if his friend failed again.

"Well, you look ready. The next SOLDIER exam won't be for another six months, but they're gonna be changed from the usual ones cause I heard that the Commander is going to be directing them. So, if you go now you don't have to worry about passing. You can just go to see how it is and be ready for his next one, and by the time it's going again you'll be well-trained and ready for it, _and_ you'll kick ass!" That brought out a smile from his small friend and Zack reached out a hand.

"Yeah… that sounds like a plan!" Cloud said and helped him up from the ground.

"Oh, shit!" Zack stated as he glanced at his watch. "I'm gonna be late!"

_**To be continued…**_

AN:_ That's the first chapter! XD If anyone is confused about what happened in the beginning here's my explanation. I think that if someone did go back to their bodies it would be easier for their self consciousness to 'float' through time and grab hold of their bodies while a stronger presence of mind didn't inhabit it.  
IE: like being unconscious…!_

_To those who might be confused as to what happened to Sephiroth; his future self sort of merged in with his past self. So memories of the past (the generator scene from earlier) and his future (the battle from the intro) seemed like they happened at the same time. His head was a little messed up, but now he's thinking on his own without Jenova's assistance.  
Oh, and Career Day was placed in Midgar since that's where the Shinra Company base is located. The Shinra Military base is located in Junon. So the new recruits and company workers that are military are back in the Junon area, and that's where Sephiroth woke up at.  
And sorry for the ass slapping with Zack. My friend and I are under the impression that slapping a member of the same sex's ass isn't considered gay as long as 'Good game!' is yelled out right after. Hurray for logic!_

_Anyone have any questions? I might have matching answers!_

_Please Review! (Criticism accepted as long as it's _constructive…)


	3. Flat on the Floor

AN: _*bows* Thank you all for the reviews/favorites/watches!_

**Ratings**, **Disclaimer**, and _**iWarnings!**_ are still the same.

**Flat on the Floor  
(By: Nickleback)**

**Chapter 2 **

**Angeal and Sephiroth watched **as Zack practically sprinted down the hall to tell his friends the news. The young man had just been told that he'd been recommended to take the SOLDIER 1st test. When Zack was told the news he'd been dumbfounded for a whole instant before he whopped with joy and took off.

"I spoke to Genesis on the phone this morning," Angeal said as he munched on a dumbapple. They were constantly being brought in by Genesis' mother ever since the fruit came into season.

"I had a pleasant conversation with him too," Sephiroth replied as he went though the SOLDIERs' progress reports.

"He mentioned a foot soldier," Angeal said, watching Sephiroth from the corner of his eye. He and Genesis had spoken last night concerning the promotion ceremony. Genesis had told him not to mention his name, but the Lieutenant was never good at subtlety. That… and he didn't want to be called out if Sephiroth decided to ask him why _he_ was talking about the soldier when, like Genesis, he didn't see anything of particular interest either, but they both thought that Sephiroth had... giving his reaction to the soldier.

Of course, Angeal had no qualms about saving his own back when it came to the bickering of his two friends. In fact, he believed that he might have developed a sixth sense concerning the General and Commander's quarrels. And honor had nothing to do with it, if you get caught in the middle of one of their repetitive arguments… _run_!

"Hm, does he think he's found one with potential?" Sephiroth asked.

"I believe the kid's name was Cloud Strife," Angeal bluffed.

"_Strife_?" Sephiroth tried to hide the growl that came along with the name, but it didn't go unnoticed. Angeal clearly saw an invisible dark aura surrounding the General.

"The recruit was mentioned." Angeal's argument sensors were tingling. He got up from his spot on the couch and headed toward the door before he caused a dispute. "I'm going to pick up some more dumbapples, want anything?"

There was a small frown forming on the General's face as he gave a mumbled 'no thanks' and went back to focusing on the papers in front of him while Angeal left the room.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*

Angeal went into the SOLDIER cafeteria. SOLDIERs were gathered around the crates and eating the apples put out for them by Genesis and himself. The Lieutenant was mulling over Sephiroth's stranger than normal behavior and almost missed the chorus of 'Good evening, Sir!' that greeted him. He took an apple out from the crate and bantered with the other SOLDIERs for a bit before heading out, his thoughts still floating along the way Sephiroth acted during their conversation.

'_It's almost as if… it were personal.'_ He thought as he bit into the juicy fruit_. _

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

_~He could be using him.~_

'_If that boy is thinking he's going to get a free ride into SOLDIER because he's friends with Zack, then he'd better think again.' _Sephiroth angrily flipped through his papers. He had to start over because he was having trouble concentrating on what he was reading, but in his mind he was putting it all together.

'_The boy must have become friends with Zack because he's being mentored by a Lieutenant. He must have thought he'd get noticed by association. That's how he got into SOLDIER… someone that's close to Zack recommended him because _he_ probably asked Zack to ask an officer to do so, or maybe by Zack himself… once he reaches First Class. Damn that scheming little...' _The General went to gather another file of paperwork as each new thought became more irritating than the last.

He glanced out the window and saw the object that was plaguing his thoughts. The blond was _yet again_ with the SOLDIER 2nd and they were headed to the barracks.

'_I need to stop this charade right now.' _He dropped the military papers onto the desk and left the office, fully intending to protect Zack's interests.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

Zack was waiting outside Cloud's room when he spotted the General in the hallway of the cadet's baracks, which was strange. He'd never known any officer to come to this area before unless there was trouble. "Heya!" he gave Sephiroth a friendly wave. The silver-haired man returned with a kind smile and stopped in front of the blonds' door.

"Genesis will be back in time to see you take the SOLDIER exam," Sephiroth said.

Zack's grin grew wider. "That's great! I was hoping the Wutai problem would end before I started the tests. I'm sure there's nothing better for an aspiring Second Class SOLDIER to have than the three top SOLDIERs in the world watch him like a hawk at every little thing he does… noting every little mistake in their black books. That kind of pressure sure does wonders!" The raven-haired boy said with layered sarcasm and a thumbs-up to accompany the cheesy smile.

Sephiroth frowned in disappointment at the younger male. "Zack, we're SOLDIER 1st Class. You should give us more credit."

Zack's smile faltered at his superior's dry tone, thinking he didn't understand that it was meant as a joke, but the man continued. "We don't have little black books. We SOLDIER 1sts have excellent memory."

At that, the Second laughed. Zack was one of very few people that Sephiroth felt comfortable joking with. Then he took on a more serious tone. "Before I go, I would like to express my concern with the amount of time you've been spending with that young foot soldier." A single dark eyebrow rose in curiosity. "I think that you should put more time into your training instead of using it to entertain a cadet. I only mention this because your tests are coming up."

"Oh!" Zack finally understood and gave an easy smile. "No worries, I use my time with Cloud as a sort of warm-up session. Then, when we're done, I go to Angeal for practice spars, or I just train by myself."

'_Damn.'_ Sephiroth thought, trying not to show the disappointment on his face. "Very well. It's good you're taking the initiative. It shows responsibility and good leadership skills."

Inside the room they were standing next to came a 'thunk' accompanied by what sounded like a prepubescent voice yelling "Found them!" Footsteps were heard running to the door.

Sephiroth recognized the voice and smirked. '_If I time this just right…'_

"I'll take my leave. Good luck with the exams, Zack."

"Thank you, I'll try my best!" the younger cheerfully replied.

The door opened and a mop of blond hair came rushing out. At the same time the General had his foot out in front of him as an act of moving ahead. Blue eyes looked up in surprise, body still moving out into the hallway and not noticing the leather boot in front of him, and then…

"General Sephiro-_ah_!" and the youth went face first into the floor.

"Cloud!" Zack rushed to help his friend. The General gave an apology, while saying another farewell to the other SOLDIER.

Zack was in slight shock, staring at the retreating General in confusion while his blond friend looked mortified. Cloud had just literally tumbled over 'The General' and appeared as if he wanted to crawl into a hole and hide. Dumbfounded, Zack wondered what had just happened because it couldn't have been what it looked like, but... did Sephiroth just trip Cloud?

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

It was one of the few sunny days of June. There were water puddles scattered around the area from the downpour last night, but the air was fresh, the birds were singing, and a perfect breeze lazily glided through the atmosphere. It was a beautiful day to be out in the world and not inside a stuffy old building doing simulation training. So Zack and Angeal were out in the military fields while working on hand-to-hand combat.

The two men blocked, threw punches, dodged kicks, and tried to take the other down. It was a fast-paced deadly dance of skill that focused on brute strength as much as it did in agility and instinct. Angeal, of course, went somewhat easy on the less mako-enhanced Second. They trained for about an hour before he told his student to take a breather and grab a drink.

"Ah, this is nice!" Zack sighed as the breeze picked up and cooled them off.

"A man of simple pleasures," Angeal commented while he silently enjoyed it too. He had found great potential in Zack when he ran into the boy almost a year ago. There had been a lot of hazing done to soldiers in those days, but none of it was targeted. It was all in good fun for the SOLDIERs 2nds and had been decided on whose name was drawn out from 'the box'.

The act in itself was an initiation to the Seconds. It was one final act of mischief before growing up and putting childish acts behind them... to throw away petty arguments and put their duties toward their comrades first and foremost.

Everyone knew of the pranks that they used to do to the unenhanced men. It was a tradition that went all the way back from when he'd joined the military. It had only been fun and games in his time, but the company had to put it to an end when a couple SOLDIERs accidentally went too far.

A foot soldier had been carried to the simulation room by a couple of SOLDIER 2nds after passing out from exhaustion in his bunker. The boy had woken up in what appeared to be the middle of a Warfield and was scared shitless when a bunch of armed Wutai started attacking, unaware that it was just a program.

Angeal had decided to train early that day and caught the SOLDIERs inside the room. They had said that they figured out how to start the program, but didn't know how to bring the boy out of the simulation. He'd quickly shut it down, and the young man freaked out when he saw bits of his surroundings break apart. Being able to then feel the foreign device strapped to his head he brought his hands up as he realized he'd been wearing a helmet the entire time. When the boy took the machine off he gaped at the empty room.

The SOLDIERs had been disciplined for misusage of the machinery and the other was told to head back to his barracks. Angeal had begun to delete the information, but then found something incredible. The mission had been set for a Third Class SOLDIER's ability. It was failed, understandably, but what had amazed him was one of the tabs in 'primary info'. Soldiers weren't skilled enough to go against so many Third Class opponents, but that soldier had dodged all the attacks with the Realism set to 100%. If Angeal hadn't been there to pull the kid out then the chances were that the boy could have died, and Shinra would have unknowingly lost a skilled warrior.

He had quickly found out the name of the soldier and Zack Fair accepted his offer mentorship soon after.

The two sat in silence while the sun warmed their skin, and the Lieutenant noticed a short blond kid walking to the indoor pool. It was the same kid from the promotions. "Is that your friend?"

"Yeah, that's Cloud," Zack said as he relaxed on the grass. "I've been teaching him how to swim."

"He doesn't know how?" Angeal was bewildered. Of course he understood that not everyone knew how to swim, but he was used to living in areas where you _needed_ to know how. It was almost like an unwritten rule in the schools; you either know how to swim, or you learn the hard way.

"Nope, Cloud's from Nibelheim. He said that the only water they have is the river that comes from the mountains. When the water's warm there's too much of an undercurrent to safely swim. The only time it slows is during winter, but then it gets below freezing."

In their spot they watched through the windows as the blond got into the water and tried to float. It was somewhat amusing to watch as he'd lean back to relax, but at certain intervals his body would tense and he'd be forced to stand again.

"Hey, Angeal?" Zack interrupted their watch as he curiously looked up at his mentor.

"Hm?"

"Do you know if Sephiroth has ever hazed someone before?"

His eyebrow rose at the odd question. "No, why?"

"Well," Zack scratched the back of his head, "he came up to me while I was waiting outside Cloud's room. Just as he was coming out, Sephiroth moved forward, and he tripped him! It just… it seemed on purpose."

Zack looked back over to his mentor.

"Let's finish this for today," Angeal said, wanting to end the discussion about Sephiroth. He headed to the apartments while Zack followed closely behind, trying to keep a conversation going.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

"No," Sephiroth declined the proposition from the man in front of him. His response should have ended it right then and there.

"Yes," the older blond countered.

"I'm not teaching a class."

"You are," Lazard, the executive manager of the SOLDIER department, said as he shoved folders into the General's chest. "Orders from higher up in the food chain."

Sephiroth's reflexes made him catch the offending papers instead of allowing them fall to the ground.

"I'm busy," he tried to explain.

"_General_," the Director rounded on him, "at this moment you are the only man qualified for this job who is _not_ busy."

"I am _not_ qualified to become an instructor."

"You are only subbing for a short time while the educator is sick."

"There must be someone else to-"

Lazard sighed and cut him off. He'd already been expecting the refusal and was prepared for whatever the General might throw out this time. "They're out doing missions."

"What about the substitutes that Shinra has paid to live here?" he growled out.

"Already subbing other classes," Lazard turned back around, heading for the elevator and motioned for him to follow. "It appears that one of the staff members had caught a cold, and instead of taking the day off to recuperate they chose to keep working with the chances of having others catch it."

"Shinra gives them enough sick days, do they not?" Sephiroth questioned.

"Yes, but we have a statement from one of the other professors that the reason for this incident is because he was saving his days off for when he was feeling better." Lazard pressed the button to head to the first floor. "It's a simple job; four classes a day, Monday through Friday, for a week at the most." The doors to the elevator opened and they both stepped out. "The curriculum is in the files, as are the lists of all the kids who are in each class. Just do what you remember your teachers doing when you were here."

Sephiroth looked up from the papers he was reading to give the Director an 'are you serious?' look.

"Oh, right," Lazard was silent for a moment as he seemed to remember the General's military history and the fact that back in that day the instruction was a little... out of date. "Just call out their names on the list. If they're not in class then make a note of it next to their names. After roll-call just follow what's written on there."

The General continued to follow the man down the hall and around the corner until they stopped at a training room. He could tell that the students were already inside by the amount of noise they were making. "This is you. Good luck."

They both nodded farewell to each other as the Director departed. Sephiroth scanned through the folders to see how many kids were in the first class. Then he caught onto a particular name near the bottom.

**Strife, Cloud.**

With a glare that could freeze the most battle-hardened men in place, Sephiroth opened up the door. As soon as he came in, the room went immediately still and he could hear the whispers of 'The General!', 'that's General Sephiroth!', and 'is the General subbing this class? Lucky!'

He didn't mind the whispering. Not when his eyes locked with ocean blue, and all the blood drained from the blonds' face.

He tried to remain stoic on the outside, but internally he was pleased by the reaction he got from his onetime enemy. '_Maybe teaching for a while won't be so bad.'_

*0~0*0~0*0~0*

Cloud was daydreaming to pass the time as the other people in the gym continued to exclude him as they chatted amongst themselves. Every minute they got a bit louder as one group tried to talk over the other. Soon, the individual conversations turned into a group discussion on whether they should leave or stay until the class period ended. In the SOLDIER ranks it was acceptable to leave if the trainer was over half an hour late, but they were unsure if it applied here as well.

They suddenly grew quiet and lined up against one of the mats in the room. They had just gotten into place as the door opened, and the man that Cloud had the unfortunate luck to trip over the other day walked into the room. Excited whispered went down the line because of _who_ had just entered their classroom.

"Good morning, class," the General greeted. "Your teacher isn't able to attend so I will be his replacement for a short period of time."

The only two girls in the class giggled by Cloud's side, but they were barely noticed as green eyes pierced into him. Only when the glowing irises broke connection to glance at the others did he remember to breathe.

"The curriculum for today states a continuation from last week. You've already had the basic explanation of hand-to-hand combat and this week your instructor wants you to apply it." The harsh gaze came back, and Cloud felt that for some reason the words were directed to him.

"After roll call I will pair you up with another that I believe would match your abilities. As I'm just meeting you now, your partners will most likely be changed as we continue." The General lifted a pen, held it up to the paper, and the students were called out and put into pairs, just as promised.

"Uh, Sir?" Cloud took an uncertain step forward and looked down, unable to meet the General's eyes. "I don't have a partner."

"I'm aware of that, Strife. You're with me."

Shocked, Cloud was roughly pulled from his spot and out into the middle of the mat. It seemed as if his worst nightmares had come to life as everyone watched while he stood in front of the class.

The General explained, "As there are an uneven number of you, Strife will be shown as an example."

"Spread your legs," the General ordered and Cloud did as was told. "… further. That's good. Now, when someone comes to grab you from behind-"

The rest of the class' explanation went on as his superior's voice drifted smoothly across the room. Cloud tried hard to pay attention to the lesson, but it was difficult while the General practically manhandled him. Sephiroth put a hand on his back until he was forced to go forward and had a hand on his waist to make him squat down further. Overbalancing, Cloud instinctively pulled his legs back in, but the General forced a boot between them and roughly kicked his legs back apart.

He was feeling that the lesson seemed placed there by some cruel force to terrorize him and make him seem incompetent. It was embarrassing to have this happen right in front of everyone… as if he wasn't ashamed enough already.

"Now I'll show you one of the ways to defend yourself against the frontal choke hold," the General continued.

"Wait, what?" Cloud asked in a daze as he felt his hands being placed on the General's leather clad shoulders. They hadn't been shown the frontal choke hold before. How was he supposed to move? Before he could even respond, an arm came up in-between his own and was wrapped around his neck. With his chest somehow pressed against Sephiroth's back, the General easily lifted him up. The next thing he knew was that all the air that had been inside his lungs was now gone as his back ribs stung from a harsh landing.

He was used as the General's prop throughout the rest of the class. He'd been thrown to the ground multiple times, had his back dug into by elbows and knees, and had his arms twisted repeatedly as a 'demonstration' on how to counter possible opening moves. Near the end he was sweaty, breathless, and collapsed on the ground from the pounding he took. The others who were on their way out the door kept looking back at him and fuckin' _giggled_ about how pathetic he looked.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

Zack was in the gymnasium and already started his stretches by the time Cloud came in. He looked back and was about to say 'hi' when the other's appearance caught his attention, and instead of the greeting he said the _other_ first thing that came to his mind.

"What happened to _you_?" He noticed how Cloud was moving as the blond stiffly walked over and sat down. "Looks like you got hit by a truck."

The blond groaned when he finally got into a comfortable position on the floor. "Not only hit by, but thrown over, dropped under, twisted around, turned upside-down, ran over, and slammed." The blond rubbed his calf where a bruise was surely forming and glared. "And it wasn't a truck. It was more like a tank."

Cloud made another noise of complaint when his movements pressed against a sore spot and continued to grumble more about the 'really big tank'.

"Wha?" Zack got up and came closer. At the look of concern on his face, Cloud gave a sigh and did a quick recap of what happened a few hours ago. Zack's mouth was wide open at the end of the story.

"… and that's why I look like this," Cloud finished.

"Damn…"

They decided not to do any of the workouts today, but the stretches were continued in well appreciated silence.

This day sucked.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

Hollander was at his desk rubbing tired eyes. It had been a strenuous day trying to create new combinations of mako and studying the effects it had with living organisms. One experiment had come close to success; though, it too had failed like the rest when the organism began mutating underneath the microscope. Deciding to continue with his work tomorrow, he began to gather his things.

It was a long day indeed.

"Professor Hollander."

The professor jerked back in his chair and looked toward the doorway as Hojo rudely stepped into his office.

"Professor Hojo, you surprised me," Hollander took a breath to collect himself. He couldn't say he liked the man… in fact, the Hojo was despicable, and their relationship was terrible. To everyone else it seemed like a small rivalry between the two scientists, but in reality both were trying to get the other fired from the company. Shinra wanted new brilliant ideas in order to stay ahead of the curve, and the company heads didn't care how the experiments were formed or tested as long as it was done in secrecy. The rumor in the Research department concerning Hojo didn't help Hollander's opinion toward his coworker either. It seemed to be common knowledge among the senior staff that Hojo's ideas were stolen from a professor who'd gone missing right before he joined.

"Of course, I should have knocked. I wouldn't want to startle you with your _condition_." Hojo faked the politeness in his voice. He freely walked inside the office and took the time to stop and gaze at the bookshelf. When nothing looked worthy enough to be of interest he went to the filing cabinets to run his fingers through the names.

Hojo, though irksome, was an eccentric man. He had a certain air that seemed like he had to be kept on constant watch else something might happen… something bad. Hollander quickly snapped back into focus as Hojo began to peer into a folder that he had no business with. "Can I help you with something?"

"Are you sure that I am the one who needs help?" Hojo eyed him.

"I don't understand what you're implying."

"Of course you wouldn't," the other replied with a smug grin. "You wouldn't know if one of your patients was dying even if you had all the equipment Shinra had to offer! You have no idea what it's capable of…"

"Professor-"

"I've been hearing good things about Lt. Hewley and Commander Rhapsodos," Hojo interrupted as he pulled out new a file of interest. "It would be a shame if one of Shinra's assets was unable to work anymore... an absolute _shame_."

Hollander's chest puffed up when Hojo implied he was incompetent as a doctor."If the Lieutenant or Commander had any health problems I would know about it. I may not do all the tests you do, but most of what you do isn't needed for health purposes."

"What a shame, what a shame," Hojo rambled on as if the words hadn't reached him, "but I do believe we can help each other. Doctors study other doctors' works, you see."

Whether Hollander liked it or not, the seed of doubt had been planted. The thought of losing the Lieutenant or the Commander, his only successful experiments that rivaled Hojo's best, had struck a nerve. If they were to die because he might be missing some critical information then he could lose his job. Yet, Hollander couldn't help but wonder what Shinra's declared top scientist was thinking.

He cracked. "I'm listening."

Hollander should have paid closer attention to the ominous grin his colleague was sporting.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

It was just another day in the cycle of Zack Fair. The young man was sitting on a chair outside of the room while waiting for his mentor to finish discussing personal matters with Professor Hollander. He didn't mind waiting. The hallway was silent except for the occasional doctor that passed by to go on lunch break, and no one looked at him twice. They were all used to seeing Angeal's student hanging around by now.

The door on his right opened, and the Lieutenant came out.

"Hey, what's new?" Zack asked.

"Nothing in particular, Hollander was just giving me a notice that he was going to add a few more tests next month," Angeal replied as the two walked through the building and out the doors.

Once they got outside there was tall, well-built man lazily jogging up to meet them. "Hey, Zack, Sir!" The man gave a sloppy salute to the Lieutenant, knowing the impolite action would be looked over since they weren't seen by anybody inside the company.

"Hi, Trent!" Zack called back, and Angeal returned with a nod.

"I heard you'll be taking the 1st Class tests soon. Grats!" The man smiled and gave Zack a pat on the back.

"Thanks, but you do know what this really means, right?"

Trent looked on in confusion and Zack smirked. "It just means I'll be that much closer to kicking your ass!"

"Ha! Even if there was some luck that you do pass, there would be no chance in hell of _that_ happening!" Trent lifted up his shirt sleeve and flexed to show off his muscles. "See this? All sweat and hard work, baby!"

Zack barked out a laugh and carried on with the small talk. "So, you'll be coming to supervise the tests again, right?"

"Nope, this time I'll be off on a mission with some others. Sorry."

Angeal looked at Trent, he didn't hear of any missions happening. "Where will you be?"

"Around Mt. Nibel. There have been reports of large creatures showing up again. We're going to push them back before they start attacking the towns... town." Trent corrected, remembering there was only one in that general area. "Such a backwater place."

"Nibelheim?" Zack curiously asked.

"Yeah, you know the place?"

"No, but a buddy of mine is from there."

"There have been other occurrences…" Trent said seriously, crossing his arms, "and other SOLDIERs have been reported MIA while over there. You should tell him to inform his family so they don't get hurt."

"Missing SOLDIERs? What class?" Zack wondered.

"Mostly 2nd Class when it started. They changed it to 1st Class only since we have a higher success rate. Though, even once in a while one of us Firsts goes missing too."

"Be careful," Angeal warned.

"I will and don't worry! It's not my first time fighting them," the man said as he gave a brilliant smile to his junior and sent another careless salute to his superior.

Angeal gave a fond smile at Trent's retreating back and looked toward his pupil. "We should get in as much practice as we can before it begins to downpour."

"Uh?" Zack looked up at the perfectly clear blue sky and again at his mentor.

"I've lived here longer than you. Trust me," Angeal said and went on ahead.

"I do!"

The Lieutenant almost paused in his steps. It usually took years for a SOLDIER of any rank to give their superior officer as much trust as Zack had given him within the few months they'd been together. The sudden surge of pride was pushed aside as he led them to their usual combat area.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

'_Worst. Week. Ever.'_ Cloud thought as he walked into the room to grab his swim trunks. His ass, back, knees, and everything else attached to him was still sore from the abuse. He had noticed that, when not paying rapt attention, the General would try to mess him up. It made him remember their first encounter. He'd been embarrassed down there on the floor, but now the feeling was worn off and replaced by anger as the realization that the action might have been done on purpose. That man was a douche and, considering the googly-eyed looks his peers were throwing at his ex-role-model, he was the only one who noticed this. Yes, you heard him right. EX-role-model… with a big fat X in a three dimensional cube accompanied by shining graphics .

Back in his hometown, he remembered staying up late at night to wait for more news about the youngest member in Shinra being promoted to Lieutenant and, not long after, General. He'd even volunteered for the paper route just so he could be the first one to see what the news said about the man fighting the battles for all their safety. The General's brilliant mind and physical strength were second to none.

Now, though, the truth was out; the General was a bastard. A bastard-coated bastard with bastard filling, and what was worse than that? When said bastard seemed to target you out of everyone else.

As Cloud opened the door to his shared room he could hear the sound of laughter swiftly die out. His three other roommates all stopped in whatever they were talking about to stare in his direction. He knew what they were talking about… they made it no secret that they joked about him on a constant basis.

Back tense, he crossed the room and tried to ignore the three pairs of eyes on him. He went to his cheaply made dresser that had a 'property of Shinra' sticker on its side and opened up the middle drawer. He grabbed the shorts Zack had bought him and quickly went back out the door.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

Sephiroth was practically floating down the hallway and into the elevators. This week was a very good week, and it wasn't even over yet. It seemed like he'd finally gotten a taste of what normal fun was like in the form of slamming a certain blonds' body onto the ground numerous, painful times. He'd gotten all the classroom paperwork done, including the two mission reports that had been put on hold, and any known Wutai havoc had been dealt with by Genesis.

He even had a decent conversation with the new boss of the Turks. As it turned out, Tseng had morals somewhat similar to his own. Though, the fact that the other man even _had_ morals was a step up from the late Turk leader, who had been killed while out on a classified mission that only the Goddess and the President himself knew about.

At one time, in the other past, Zack had been promoted to 1st Class and Sephiroth had no doubts that the talented Second would be again. Even if the blond had a 'mishap' and couldn't continue on at Shinra, Zack would still be there. He recalled that Angeal's subordinate had grown at a remarkably fast rate, held his own in duels, and even then had room to grow.

When exiting the building, Sephiroth spotted two boys leaving the indoor pool and heard the silly laughter that followed. The two bolted in the direction of the soldier barracks, thinking that they weren't seen. He frowned upon the childish display and went to see if there was any damage done to the poolroom. If there was, he'd make sure they were banned from Shinra. Such acts weren't even meant for children.

The sun's glare upon the tinted windows made it impossible to see inside from his current location, but a lone cloud slowly crept across the sky. The rays that were covering up the windows dissipated to reveal the pool's waters rocking back and forth as if someone had jumped in only seconds ago. Then he realized that someone was still in there as a sudden formation of bubbles broke the surface. He sprinted towards the pool's entrance.

Sephiroth threw open the door and scanned for anything underneath the surface. Upon finding a sunken body, he quickly stumbled out of his coat and shoes and dove into the water.

_**To be continued…**_

AN: _I think the only reason why I had Sephiroth subbing in for combat was because, even though he's brilliant, I don't believe he's properly qualified to teach an actual class like Math, Science, or English. Jenova's influence or not, he just might kill something… damn annoying kids._

_Have any questions? I might have matching answers!_

_Please Review! (Criticism accepted as long as it's _constructive_…)_


	4. Unstable

AN:_ *bows* Thank you for the favorites/watches! I know that the time traveling thing has been done so many times before, but I'm still grateful that you've decided to read this anyways. And a _huge_ thanks to those who took the time to type a review. Like all writers, good or bad, it's nice to know what people are enjoying and what I still need work on. You're making this story better!_

**Ratings**, **Disclaimer**, and _**iWarnings!**_ are still the same.

**Unstable  
(By: Adema)**

**Chapter 3**

**His head was throbbing.** It felt like a massive bag was overstuffed into his brain.  
His thoughts were scattered, his body was sore, his throat was dry.

But it was quiet and warm and tranquil. Cloud was on a couch that rode unusually low to the ground and incased in a soft cloth like fabric of an earthly color. As he became more aware he took alarm to the fact that he was _half naked _while in an unknown home and was covered with only a light blanket. Careful not to move to loudly and alert anyone, he cautiously looked around the room. He didn't want a confrontation until he could remember what had happened.

The room felt… homely, modern, and silence accentuated the given serenity even more so. Rain pattered on the windows, and from outside came a loud thunderous rumble that caused the house to lightly shake. A groan escaped from his lips at the small twinges of discomfort his head was giving him, and the events coming up to this moment were swiftly recalled.

_He never made it into __**SOLDIER**__, but __**mako**__ had still been in his bloodstream. Professor Hojo... experimental mako... His limits were reached too many times and his mind had gone into shock. He was SOLDIER First Class... he wasn't even in SOLDIER. And a number… it seemed so important back then...  
__ was fun now with Zack there again; though, the SOLDIER went easy on him because he didn't have any enhancements.  
__**Rain… the Storm; **__it was chaos outside as the winds blew. Mako was gushing out of the tubes from on top of the Shinra building and carried by the winds as it rained down. It was as if it were a mako hurricane. __**Materia, Gaia… **_**Time**_. He'd been reaching for the Time Materia. He didn't know what it would do, but Aerith and Zack had died while trying to keep it out of Sephiroth's hands… and there were still so many unanswered questions.  
__**Water… **__the pool, he'd almost drowned!_

'_We're friends, right?'_

Panicked, Cloud's eyes widened as his senses kicked in. Where was he? How did he get here? He was going out to the pool to work on his swimming, but he was also reaching for the Time Materia.

Was this because of the planet's Materia? The orb was so small, so powerful... could it really have controlled the flow of time? He'd woken up with two sets of recent memories and the overwhelming certainty of which timeline it was only proved his thoughts. It could, but it was bizarre! When Aerith had told him what it was, Cloud had assumed it was some powerful Haste, Slow, or even Stop… something that Sephiroth wouldn't be immune to.

His mind was rapidly sifting through thoughts, but he allowed himself to relax as common sense told him there was no one else in the room. Otherwise, someone would have come in to check on him when he made so much noise. Taking a closer look around, he saw that the kitchen, living room, and dining room were all adjoining. The only thing separating the kitchen from the dining area was a table peninsula paired with windowed ceiling cupboards.

There was enough natural light to clearly see as dull rays came in through the window, but there was an oddity; it was beginning to storm outside. A bolt of lightning hit particularly close and made the room light up, almost blinding in its vibrancy, and Cloud jumped when following close behind came a deafening thunder that sent the house trembling.

Amazed, the blond slowly got up from the couch and quietly walked over to the window. The room was at least thirty floors high, so he deemed it safe to assume that it was an apartment complex. He observed the rain as it fell heavily, but there were parts to the north and south that were still sunny and clear. This place… only one area had weather as crazy as this.

"Junon."

He stood there, stupefied at the wonder of the Materia and speaking to hopefully bring more realism into this surreal situation. He brought a hand to his throat and delicately ran his fingertips over his developing adam's apple. His voice wasn't as deep, yet it was still the same. The warrior looked down at his small frame, stretching the muscles and moving his arms. It felt seemingly unchanged, yet alien, and he wasn't nearly as strong as he remembered… although there was definite improvement compared to a few weeks ago…

This was really weird, and he still didn't recall how he'd gotten _here_. It clearly wasn't where Zack stayed, or anyone else he knew, for that matter. More memories clashed and blended together as he walked away from the window, and he grabbed a hold of something solid when wave of dizziness washed over him. He never would have imagined to be pulled back and have two consciences slammed together like this. The Materia was definitely something else. It was amazing.

When his head cleared enough to actually see what was in front of his face, Cloud noted that he'd grabbed hold of a shelf filled with movies, tapes, and pictures. One of the pictures that caught his interest contained two men who appeared to be in their late twenties, but what he noticed first was that one of the men was carrying Zack's sword. It made him curious.

"Why does he have Zack's weapon?"

Absorbed in the picture, he didn't hear the door when it opened and closed from behind him. Even if he had kept his mako-enhanced hearing, the soft footsteps still would have been unnoticeable.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

The General cursed the press as he headed back to his apartment. Though reporters weren't allowed on the grounds, it didn't stop them from slipping in and hiding until they got a bite. He'd barely gotten the blond out of the water when Angeal and Zack burst through the door, and Sephiroth told Angeal to put the kid in his room while he went outside to take care of the vultures.

For three hours he had to make repeated statements of 'no comment' when questioned about his brave action and, god forbid, _relationship_ toward the recruit. The media finally gave up trying to interrogate him and attempted to follow the other SOLDIER to question the other for when he awoke. Fortunately, Zack and he were capable of blocking their way without using, as Shinra liked to put it, 'excessive force' and the reporters were escorted off of the premises when reinforcements arrived.

Sephiroth gave another curse as he trudged up the stairs, and it seemed as if each step he took was heavier than the last. He chose to walk because he needed to help work off some of the steam that had been building up, and muddled thoughts were cluttering his mind as to just _who_ was in his apartment was finally setting in.

No matter how many times Sephiroth had told himself that Cloud didn't matter, that Zack could become his new sparring partner, he was aware of the a small part inside of him that was still waiting for the old battles to come back. It wasn't because of the way Cloud fought, or how strong the other was, but because the blond-haired warrior didn't care if he, the General, was cut down. Real battles were based on fighting to kill, and Cloud had _tried_.

Only…

This Cloud wasn't the same one he wanted. This boy was a different version of the other warrior in every sense of the word; weaker, unable to hold his own, _limited_. Sephiroth had finally realized this when he'd pulled the blonds' limp form from out of the water.

He didn't have his battle for mother, he was still the General that nobody wanted to harm, and the furious swordsman that had fought him with unreserved strength was probably lost forever. He felt bored… useless.

His superiority, the cadet's lack of courage, it all seemed so _wrong_, and now the unguarded boy was resting on his couch. He felt sick…

Sephiroth made it to his floor, slowly crossing the hallway until he paused in front of his door and thought. '_I should apologize for my actions. I'm sure he's noticed and has been wondering why. Not that I'll explain, but the apology should suffice.'_

He quietly walked into his home, stepping lightly as to not wake the blond. He shut the door and took off his shoes. Turning, the General saw that the other was already awake and standing by the bookshelf. The boy's wild hair was even more of a mess from sleep.

'_I should make myself known.' _Sephiroth took a few steps closer and gave off a presence that only he could achieve. '_And go back to proper titles.'_

"Soldier," he said, but the word felt forced. The young blond jumped and gave a startled gasp. This, of course, was accompanied by the sound of broken glass as a picture fell to the floor. It didn't faze him; he should have expected a reaction like that anyways, having gotten it enough times from raving fans. "I trust you are well enough to head back to your barracks?"

The soldier's vivid blue eyes continued to openly stare and the boy even seemed to stop breathing. He was about to ask what was wrong, but was interrupted by a word. It was something he'd heard many times before, but it was said in a way that seemed so long ago.

"Sephiroth."

The General's pupils dilated as the name slipped from the other's lips and a look that could never come from idol worship was painted on the blonds' face. It was dread. Sephiroth gave a feral grin as all thoughts from earlier swiftly fled from his mind. The day had been turning out for the worse, but now it didn't seem so bad… not when the one person who could disrupt the repetitiveness this place had was standing right in front of him. Sephiroth knew it was him, it was from the way the other said his name, the look of fear in those blue eyes.

And he gladly answered, "_Cloud_."

The two warriors stared each other down, eyeing one another with careful apprehension. Sephiroth smirked as Cloud's gaze shifted to the door; even through all of the battle experience and training the other was still so easy to read, always had been.

He knew that Cloud was panicking, trying to keep a level head while staring in the face of what _should_ be an opponent, and Sephiroth only watched while the other cautiously stepped around the couch to get to the door.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

Cloud ran down the end of the hallway and quickly smashed in the elevator button. He glanced back to make sure he wasn't being followed while the panels glided opened, and once inside he gave the same treatment to the number to get to the first floor.

'_Sephiroth. It was Sephiroth. Oh, Gaia, it was _Sephiroth_!'_ His mind repeated over and over.

His hands and knees were trembling and he felt nervous. The home he'd been in, it was Sephiroth's. It was like a deathtrap, and he didn't particularly enjoy running into those. '_Sephiroth, Sephiroth, Sephiroth. He doesn't know, can't know, wouldn't know'. _Cloud placed his forehead onto the cool metal wall and tried to calm his breathing_._

His mind flashed back to the way his name was sadistically rolled off the other's tongue. '_No, I must have heard it wrong. I was the one who was brought back, not him. If it were him then he'd have already killed me …'_

His heart felt like it was going to burst from inside his chest.

Cloud mentally smacked himself for not paying more attention back in the room. How could he have let his guard down so carelessly while in unknown territory? That voice, when he heard that _voice_ all his muscles had tensed, and the only thing that had worked properly was his fight or flight response. His body was weak and unenhanced, and he wouldn't have stood a chance if the other chosen to kill him right then and there. But…

But Sephiroth didn't kill him. The other had stood far away from the door to make the escape route easier. If Sephiroth had meant to kill him then it wouldn't have been so obvious that the space was meant to make use out of.

The elevator gave a _ding _as its doors opened to allow him off, and a chill crawled up his spine as his body began to cool from being in the warm room. It was chilly inside the building, and he only had a pair of partially dried swim trunks as protection. It only reminded him as to how this situation came to be in the first place.

He wanted to moan in frustration at how unlucky he was. Why couldn't the Materia have spontaneously sent him to Aerith's place?

_Aerith_! It finally dawned on him; Aerith was still alive! And Zack! Hell, of course Zack was still alive, his friend was practically mentoring him! Cloud frowned at that. When the first battle with Sephiroth ended, he'd spent almost a year in solitary trying to remember things about the past. Though back then there were a lot of holes, everything now seemed filled up to the parts that hadn't happened yet. Zack and he were friends, good friends, but…

'_I don't remember him working with me before_.' His eyebrows furrowed as he wondered if something could have happened, but then he cut that thought off at the bud before it had a chance to develop. He hadn't known how to swim after the final battle with Sephiroth, and he was certain of this because of the embarrassment he had when he finally asked for help. During that phase in his life, Cloud worried over who he should put his trust in to keep that minor secret. He had mauled over it for months, and there was always something that would make him feel weary. He'd stop himself before he'd even ask.

Then he had taken the ninja into consideration. Yuffie was born in Wutai. Wutai was an _island_. Who came from an island and couldn't swim? No one. And the best thing was that all she had requested for in return was some mastered Materia. Cloud had been taught how to swim in a remote location, Yuffie had gotten her Materia, no one had found out, and everyone was happy.

But why was Zack teaching him this time?

He gave a blissful sigh when he caught sight the front desk, and that meant the way out. Thanking Gaia for small favors, Cloud quickly found the doors and headed out into the open with the full intent to go to his bunker and change into something warm.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

Sephiroth was, yet again, looking down from his window to the vacant streets below. It had taken a while, but the blond had finally made it out of the building and was assumingly heading back to the soldier barracks. He contemplated on almost _telling_ the other that there was nothing to fear from him, that Jenova wasn't in control.

But the urge to _get him back_ was strong. It was amusing, just an hour ago Sephiroth was about to swallow his pride and give the boy another chance, but now that _Cloud_ was back he wanted the other warrior _crushed_… and crush him he would.

He quickly put a stop to the dark throaty chuckle he was giving the moment he realized he was doing it. Grabbing a pear from the kitchen, he took a bite… and then felt a wave of uncertainty. What if it wasn't the Cloud he knew and fought with? If it wasn't, then why would the other have acted like that just moments ago… of course, if it _was_ still the young foot soldier then the boy would have plausible reason to react so badly. There were other incidents where recruits, cadets, foot soldiers_,_ and even some newer _SOLDIERs _had turned and ran from just spotting him near, and remembering his earlier actions it was no wonder if the boy had come to fear him.

"_Sephiroth."_ His mind went over the way the youth had spoken his name. He had been so sure, so sure it was _Cloud_. What if it had just slipped out? He heard the way other people spoke of him. They dropped all titles as if they didn't give a second thought about their comments. The optimism he felt earlier took a slump as he rationalized that it could have just been a fluke.

Heavy footsteps were heard running through the halls and then were accompanied by the sound of a knob slamming against the wall as his door flew open.

"Where's Cloud?"

Sephiroth doubted that Zack would ever learn to knock on _his_ door. It was ingrained in him to always knock first when entering someone's office or place of residence, and he figured it would be the same for this guy too. Angeal and Genesis had always knocked first, but ever since the first time Angeal brought Zack into his home to chat the young man was walking in and out of here on spontaneous occasions.

"Is he gone? Where'd he go?" The other looked back and forth across the room.

"He just made it outside, most likely going to his room," Sephiroth responded. A polite knock on the doorframe alerted Angeal's presence.

Zack let out a dejected groan, "Aw… we just missed him? I didn't see him comin' up though!"

"He might have taken a longer route," Angeal said. "Most get lost in this building if they've never been in here before." Zack turned to run out the door and catch up to his blond friend, but before he could make it Angeal stopped him. "You can see how he is later; you need to get some rest. Your tests will be starting soon."

"UH? Oh, man, I totally spaced those out!" Zack exclaimed and it was Angeal's turn to sigh.

"I'll talk with you tomorrow," Angeal bid goodbye to Sephiroth and walked his charge out the door.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

The room was quiet except for the occasional shuffle of paper. Hojo was at his desk, the single light in use was a small lamp that only lit up the desk area while darkness enshrouded the rest. He didn't mind, he was far too absorbed in the data he'd memorized a million times over. The man who'd written this so many years ago had been brilliant, but not brilliant enough to escape from his fate the moment he chose to run from Shinra.

Hojo had been second only to that man, who was the reason why he had once had to follow someone else's work and not freely experiment to make a different path for mankind. He's been forced to study under the 'lead scientist' from the first day the new science division had developed. The Professor scowled at the memory. He hated being thought of as second. He was second to no one! Not even Prof. Hollander would take his title away from him!

The notes he held were old. The beginning of the research had been written with eagerness over the new finding, informative as the results mapped out to a conclusion, and then they had abruptly ended before it was finished. That's where Hojo's own notes began, but something was off. There was something, something that had been in the original project before that wasn't written out, and therein laid a secret. Hojo knew about the alien, he'd known the same moment the late Prof. Gast found out, and at the time both were thrilled over the new discovery. However, Gast's excitement faded over time… grew to be wary, and then suddenly he disappeared.

Hojo was sure that the man had sensed his growing resentment. It didn't matter when Gast had run because Hojo had been given permission to use the Turks and search for him. They had found Gast with a woman in some remote location near an isolated town, and after Hojo had gotten rid of them he had confiscated all the research that the other had continued with. Though with the information right in front of him, Hojo still couldn't find the answer he was looking for.

In other files there were samples of Prof. Gast's blood work. Though why the man seemed almost paranoid of his own blood samples was a mystery. They were the same as the results from the physical examination at Shinra. Hojo hated to admit it, but the man that had been considered to be one of the most brilliant minds in the world didn't make _sense_!

What was Gast studying that had made him try to destroy the Jenova project? Did he try to destroy it because he realized that Hojo was planning his 'accidental' death and didn't want his student to take full credit for their work? Hojo was certain that at the time neither one of them knew what the alien had done to the Ancients, nor could a happy-go-lucky man like that have ever sensed bloodlust.

"Something, something, something," the Professor mumbled to himself as he flipped one of the pages back to reread it. He still got nothing! Somewhere in the files laid a tape, a worthless piece of garbage that should have been thrown in the disposal. He already knew what it contained.

"_Visual tapes 1-47 had been destroyed along with documentaries and data that I had collected," Gast had spoken into the camera. His voice was smooth and didn't carry any of the panicked tone a hunted man should have. "The original Project J will end, though I only hope I destroyed enough to make it cease to continue. Another project has also ended, all data destroyed."_

_A woman was moving in the background, clearly pregnant. She looked up when she saw her husband working and humbly moved back out from the room as to not disturb him._

"_I was saved."_

The video and all else that could have been Jenova related was ended there.

Hojo angrily tossed the tape behind him. He should have thrown it out after first watching it, its presence only served to cause him more irritation. Beside his elbow lay two other files just recently acquired. The soon to be late Professor Hollander had given him all the research he needed. The projects would soon follow under his name just as the late Professor Gast's had done, but only this time Hojo could rely on natural causes. Professor Hollander was suffering a strange sickness, had been for a long time.

There wasn't even a need to wait for the man's death to get started! Hollander was a gullible man. The other would begin the process and get the containers ready for the new experiments so Hojo wouldn't have to waste precious time.

The Professor chuckled in his usual high tone. Soon he wouldn't have to compete with anyone, and he'd get two new specimens to continue his project. He would find out what Prof. Gast had known, and he would take the name of the world's top scientist for himself; a name that should have been given to him from the beginning!

_**To be continued…**_

AN:_ I'm sure you've noticed that Sephiroth has been calling Cloud 'cadet' rather than 'soldier' but it's just him venting his anger._

_Also, anyone notice that in FF7 Cloud only crosses rivers/streams that are one foot deep? If you want to cross something larger/deeper you have to use a vehicle. So, my conclusion is that he can't swim! *cackles*  
I wanted a little Zack time in there, but I need him gone cause tests are starting for SOLDIER…_

_Have any questions? I might have matching answers!_

_Please review! (Criticism accepted as long as it's _constructive_…)_


	5. I'm on a Boat!

AN: _*bows* Thank you for all of the reviews/favorites/watches!_

**Ratings**, **Disclaimer**, and _**iWarnings!**_ are still the same.

**I'm On a Boat  
(By: The Lonely Island ft. T-Pain)**

**Chapter 4**

**Cloud's lungs were burning** from just running to his barracks. It still amazed him that he even knew where to go, but not really. Actually, he wasn't even going to think about it anymore. Yeah, that seemed like a good idea. He wasn't skewered with Masamune, wasn't strangled to death as he escaped the building. Maybe… just maybe, the man wasn't insane yet. His pace slowed as he passed the doors and walked down the hall.

'_He didn't chase me. If he did get sent back with me then it would have, of course, ended horribly_. _He's not out to kill me... not yet at least._' Cloud relaxed and his breathing evened out as he took comfort in this logic.

He opened up the door to his room and went inside. His roommates were watching the news... as it was the only channel they were allowed to have.

Freed from one of the worries that had him so tightly wound for years, Cloud didn't notice the open mouthed stares that the others were sending his way. He was so tired, mentally exhausted, and he knew he needed rest before it affected his reflexes.

"Uh… hi," one of them said.

"Hi," Cloud returned. "Can you wake me up in an hour? I'm going to get some shuteye."

The two that pushed him into the pool hesitantly glanced at each other while the third replied with a 'Yeah, ok'.

Reassured that they wouldn't be giving him shit for a while for the little stunt they pulled earlier he tossed back the blankets to his bunker and crawled in. At this point in time Sephiroth hadn't done anything crazy, many of his friends and family were still alive, and he'd been given a second chance to make things right. All doubt was pushed away, and though the small bed was hard, Cloud had fallen asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

***Out in the middle of nowhere***

"This is the start of your tests, you _second-class scum_! You will be put into groups of three! You will be leading your First Class brothers to victory against other teams that are going for the same targets as you! You will not be getting any hints, help, or sympathy from your brothers! You will act as if your team is consisted of you as the ranking officer and your two First Class team members that, whom you are going to assume, know _nothing_! You are going to treat them as if they are cadets and they will act as if they are cadets! You are going to give them the knowledge you have acquired with your stay in Shinra while you 'teach' them how to do the required skills to get past certain points!"

Zack looked down the line of Shinra SOLDIERs. Fourteen men were recommended to take the First Class tests, and two First Class SOLDIERs were behind each one, making a team of three. Being a First Class SOLDIER meant that you would have to lead others, so they designed the test to see if you fit the 'leadership' criteria. Also, being First Class would mean that not only would you have to know your stuff, but you had to make sure your subordinates knew what they were doing. If not, then you'd have to teach them quickly and make sure they understood. Shinra made sure to have two supervisors, or 'subordinates', for each trainee to keep accidents to a minimum.

The wind picked up and the dirt rose from the hot plains. What little shade there was decided to disappear as the single cloud blocking the sun decided to move and a brilliant light reflected off of all the metallic equipment.

The sergeant was walking back and forth in front of the table during his speech, knowing that the items sparked new interest. His boots crunched on the dry dirt below and his voice grew louder to compensate for the rising winds.

"Each team will be given one of these cases. The cases have information enclosed to continue your mission. There are riffles here that are specially modeled to fire off electroshots. These 'bullets', when fastened onto an object, send off electrowaves that will send a shock throughout your system. They don't hit has hard as real bullets, but they will still feel like they've done the same damage.

"Also on this table are belt pieces, shoulder guards, wrist guards, and knee guards. These are given to you to not only protect, but to see how many times you get shot and by whom! Each gun is adapted to pick up signals from your wrist guards to keep track of who is shooting. Even if the gun in your possession wasn't issued to you, you'll still get counted for your accuracy! You are not to take off any of the guards to improve your score! If you are caught doing that, you will be barred from Shinra and given a one-way ticket home."

The man, back straight and face set, came to a halt. "You may now come forward and take one case. That is all I have to say, the rest is up to you. Good luck, try not to die, and welcome to Fort Condor!"

"Well," Zack said as he stood up; his group now geared and ready to go. "Let's mosey!" The other two didn't move from their spots as they gave him an odd look. Feeling awkward, he picked up the case and supplies.

"Um, we're going about five miles north," Zack told them, receiving another look in response as the two stayed on the ground. "So, yeah, north." Again, no physical response, none what. so. ever. The other teams were already up and on the move, but his team remained unresponsive, there was a blink…

"That way," Zack said as he pointed north.

Both leisurely got up, hiding their amusement. They were going to have fun with this one.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

***Back in Junon***

Inside the Shinra building, Genesis stood in front of the crowd of foot soldiers with a growing smile on his face. It made him look half mad. This year he decided to volunteer on testing the Third Class wannabes, and he had taken careful measures to ensure that anyone less than standard would be purged. He was doing this because the quality of the Thirds had been slipping every year, and every time he demanded to know why most were allowed to pass.

The Commander stood formally and glanced at the clock; there were five minutes left. Looking back at the crowed he noted that all wide, young, innocent eyes were focused on him. He couldn't help but widen his smile, just to see the rest of the blood drain from their faces. This was going to be enjoyable.

A man in SOLDIER uniform walked in front of the crowd. "Sir," the other said, "the Vice President said that you may begin."

"Very well," Genesis grumbled back while the other departed.

"Congratulations," the Commander began with a voice that lacked sincerity and was filled with sarcasm. "You have decided that you are good enough to try and become the real thing."

The foot soldiers below gave worried frowns. As they should, he was mocking them and in no way was he pleased with how many had decided to try out for the tests.

"I have been given the pleasure of being your examiner this year. So if you have been given advice from previous testers, or have even failed tests in the past, then I am pleased to inform you that this year it will be incredibly different.

"Like previous, you will be given a drug test to determine if you are corrupting your body. Remember: Shinra doesn't care what cadets and foot soldiers do in their spare time so long as it's legal; however, as Third Class SOLDIERs you are required for light mako testing and many muscle enhancers or illegal supplements have unpleasant side effects when introduced with mako. You may inform the doctors, they have a confidentiality requirement, and you may bow out gracefully. You will also be checked to see if you are physically fit. If you are not, then don't try to complain or sweet talk your way in. It's for your own safety. If you fail the physical then I suggest you get stronger and come back next term."

Genesis' eyes moved through the crowd. He knew that many of them didn't meet at least one of the requirements and some of them would, or should, give up then and there.

His eyes came to rest on a familiar blue-eyed cadet, Zack's friend. Something about the gaze made him contemplate. The eyes that seemed so hesitant at the foot soldier promotions had changed, they screamed confidence.

He had to tear his eyes away to make himself snap out of it. Now was not the time to get into another one of his musings, he could analyze more important things when he was alone. He began again.

"Afterward you'll be given tests created to physically strain you. Anyone that has what it takes to be in SOLDIER will pass, and anyone who isn't will be discontinued from the program. If you pass the physical that means you are able to partake in my tests. If you fail those then you're done. PERIOD! You will NOT be allowed a second chance. The end!"

Gasps went through the auditorium as the youths looked around with frightened eyes. Whispers could be heard going around in hopes that the threat wasn't serious. He looked to the SOLDIERs sitting off to the side, every single one of them had approved of this new method. All of them had experience with the types of people that were brought into the program year after year. Being good men, they all believed in second chances, but they also knew when it should be denied, and one of the areas in this particular test was going to give prime example. Just like on the battlefield, there was no second chance if someone died. It was the end.

"A few doctors will come and call off your names. Follow them, and head to the docks afterwards. I will be waiting there." Genesis opened a door, and men wearing white coats came through.

"Ah, many testers this year!" one was heard saying. "This will take a while with only the ten of us." The others nodded in agreement as Genesis split the list of names before departing.

"Remember," the commander said as he stood in the door frame, "being strong for the sake of helping your comrades is one thing, but gaining power just to be strong will result in nothing. You only get one shot; it's you who decides if you're ready to waste it." He shut the door behind him and the doctors immediately got to work.

"Mickurn, Archy!" "Yakoo, Youou!" "Aurbern, Jaques" all the doctors called out at once, blurring the names together. The testers had to pay close attention to if they were being called out and by whom. It continued until each doctor had a small group to follow them out the door.

Cloud sat there quietly and listened to the others' complaints about the latest testing the newly nicknamed 'Bastard Commander' came up with. It seemed most of them had decided to take the test because they wanted to know the details on how the Commander did his, and if they didn't pass it this time then they'd be ready next time.

"_If you pass the physical then that means you are able to partake in my tests."_ Cloud remembered the words and looked down at his own frame. He was small, but he could do it.

'_In my case the 'just try to see what's up' would've been close. Only I want to pass, I never planned to just look in the first place.'_ He thought to himself in silence, mulling. He needed to be in Shinra, even if he didn't want to. He could go back to Nibelheim or rejoin AVALANCHE, but it wouldn't work. Doing anything different than becoming a SOLDIER wouldn't help save anyone.

He needed mako.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

***Fort Condor***

Zack led his team to their destination while fighting with the large case and the three sets of binoculars that the other two didn't want to put on.

"Why're there so many foxholes out here?" Zack wondered, noticing the holes in the ground.

"You mean the gun-pits? Fort Condor was the old SOLDIER training area. Then Fort Junon was built and it became popular because of the easy access. It's not much of a fort anymore so no one calls it by its original name."

Zack's head whipped around to the guy talking. He didn't think he'd actually get a reply to his question. "I thought you weren't supposed to answer anything!"

"We can't answer anything related to the _test_," the other explained.

"Oh, ok, well thanks," he smiled. They continued to scout the area… well, more like he scouted while the other two followed behind. They soon came across one of the DFPs that had items inside. "Ha, found it!" he called out and hopped in. Inside were three one-man tents and a suitcase that held more information on their next assignment.

"Ok, here's my idea," Zack said as he crawled out from the hole, "we need to head to some area between this place and Junon, but since that's the area in which the real bad beasties are out at night I think it would be better to travel a few miles west and pitch a tent there."

"Why?" one of the guys asked.

"Uh, because west is our general direction. So it would cut our time down instead of pitching a tent here and wouldn't put us in the danger zone for night beasties while we sleep."

Both of them just nodded their heads while grumbling.

"So, let's go!" He tossed one of the tents to the closest member, but instead of catching it the man kept his arms crossed and let it flop to the ground. There was heavy silence as Zack looked back and forth between the tent and the two un-amused First Class SOLDIERs.

"Oh." Zack realized that they weren't going to help at all. He sighed and latched all three tents to his back while carrying two cases in one arm and three binoculars in the other.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

***Back in Junon***

Cloud was a simple man, really, he was. He came from a simple town with simple morals and simple ideals that you had to meet to be considered normal. It was a dream for the men in his town to get married to a woman who was pretty and modest, have two kids (a boy and a girl), have a decent house that had freshly cut grass bordered by a wooden fence, and maybe a dog or two.

This… this was not normal.

When he was called in for the physical examination he was prepared for needles, urine samples, stethoscopes, an aneroid to measure blood pressure, and even those tools that they hit you on the knee with to judge reflexes, but this was not what he had in mind.

"Mr. Strife, this is just a practice that we do to make sure that-

"Like hell I'm letting you come near me!" he yelled, interrupting the man. They were currently on different sides of the bed with Cloud in a blue hospital gown and the doctor with a plastic glove covering his right hand. It had turned into a game of 'ring around the rosy' as the man attempted to catch him.

"It's _fine_! We do this to all of our employees at one time or another!" the doctor tried to reason.

"I've never had to have that done to me before, so therefore it does NOT need to be done, and therein you are _not_ doing that!" Cloud was fully aware that his gown was much too revealing and was trying to find his pants in the middle of this mayhem, which were in a box hidden somewhere in this room. Screw the last part of the physical, he was just fine in every other part of it, and he doubted that Shinra wouldn't allow him to take the test just because of… _that_.

"Oh, thank God," the doctor sighed and Cloud's attention perked up at the words. Someone came in through the door behind him. He forgot he couldn't sense things like he used to and quickly turned as to not show anyone his uncovered backside. Only a series of unfortunate events would bring him face to face with his worst enemy... and luck was not on his side that day.

The baritone voice of the General seemed to echo in the small room. "I heard from the nurses that there's a problem with one of the examinees."

Cloud's vision was torn between someone who was behind him wanting to do something considerably unnecessary and the man that might possibly go insane at any given moment.

"The boy refuses to finish the physical! After this he'll be free to go, and I can continue to look at the others!" the doctor complained.

"That's bullshit!" Cloud said. Then and there, he had decided which one was currently the more evil in the room. "That's not needed for any physical testing skill. What the hell do you think I'm going to use that for in a fight?"

The General glanced at the doctor's note board and checked what was last on the list. "I see. If you're having problems with him then I can take it from here."

"Wait, what?" Cloud asked in a deadpanned voice. What did Sephiroth mean that he could take it from there?

"General, thank you very much for the help, but trained professionals are su-"

"Are you implying that I am anything but professional in my work?" Sephiroth questioned, and Cloud kept glancing between the two as the conversation went in a direction that was decidedly unsafe.

"No, Sir, of course not!"

"Then it's settled, I'll give this back to you when I am done."

"Wait… what?" Cloud repeated. He was almost on the verge of panic as the doctor was lead out of the room.

And that's when all hell broke loose.

Cloud tried to merge himself into the wall as the General of his worst nightmares pulled out two gloves from a box and put some type of clear, slick substance onto the left one, motioning with the other hand to go to the bed and face the opposite wall.

Cloud did the only thing he could think of, and that was to shake his head in a subtle yet defying 'no'.

Everyone stopped what they were doing as a scream as loud as Bloody Mary tore through the hospital wing and all eyes focused on the door that their coworker was standing by. No later the silver-haired General walked out of the same room and was followed momentarily after by a soldier sporting a beat red face.

"General?" the doctor nervously questioned. The man had waited by the doors for them to finish and was only handed the notes without a response. The General quickly coughed into it his hand, but Cloud almost growled from the snort he could have sworn he heard.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

Genesis was waiting for the foot soldiers at the port. He was impressed… with himself, of course. Not one-third of the crowd that had signed up for the test even bothered to show up. Unfortunately about half of what was left looked like they barely passed the physical.

The last boy was leaving the hospital and an accompanied doctor waved to give the all clear. It was time to get started. Genesis' eyes drifted back to Zack's blue-eyed friend. The kid's face was flushed, obviously trying not to move too much, and looked extremely uncomfortable standing there.

"Alright, soldiers," Genesis stood up from his position on the supply crates, "follow me." And the fifty-nine foot soldiers followed as he boarded the massive battleship.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

'_Oh, Gaia, this is horrible!'_ Cloud looked every which way in the sky, hoping to see some type of light shining between the dark clusters surrounding them. He wasn't worried, not at all. They were all out in the open water miles from Junon, and a huge storm was brewing up only hours away from them…

And rain had _just_ started to downpour.

"Congratulations on reaching this point!" the Commander had to yell for everyone to hear. Cloud had to squint to keep a visual of the red leather clad man. "This is your first test! The examination is quite simple! Jump off the side of the ship and swim toward Junon. If you do not reach Junon by 2400 hours, then you fail!"

'_Oh, shit_.' Cloud mentally swore as a similar disagreement was voiced through the crowd.

"QUIET! The tests will only get harder from here! I'm giving you one last chance to back out. This ship is headed to a port near Midgar so the longer you wait to decide, the further you'll have to swim! If you decide that this test is not for you then stay on the ship, wait for transportation to arrive at the other dock, and take the test next year!"

The gathering of foot soldiers stood agape in the wind and rain. They were motionless in their silence and their brains were unresponsive.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" roared the Commander. "Begin!"

Half of the men on the ship seemed to get a jump start from the yell, and they rushed to the ledge and dove off.

Cloud winced. A dive from this high up wasn't recommended unless you were used to high-diving and, even now, this height wasn't good for jumping in head first. It was a quick decision to the rest left on board. Most went back into the cabin, preferring their own safety to some crazy, life threatening test, and the few that stayed seemed to pray to whatever god they believed and also jumped.

Cloud knew he could swim, but up against this? He needed all the help he could get. He was _going_ to make it into SOLDIER! He took off his boots, socks, gloves, belt, and any loose pieces that would conflict with the water. Looking around, he noted he was the last on deck. Climbing over the railing, he brought his a hand up to plug his nose and jumped in.

The fall itself wasn't bad… though it did set his nerves on high, but he froze at the drastic change in temperature when his body broke through the cold surface. Fighting against the water's rough movement, he spat out disgusting, salty ocean water and began his long swim to the mainland.

_**To be continued…**_

AN: _I'm aware that some people might not know military terms or the names of medical supplies. DFP isn't commonly said and the name aneroid might be easy to either leave the mind blank or think about something else, so here's what they are to those who don't know._

*DFP: acronym for Defensive Fighting Position. Americans have the slang called 'foxholes' (which I think is cute) and Australians call them 'gun-pits'. They're holes that allow men to lie horizontally while shielding their bodies from shell bursts and small arms fire.

*Aneroid: tool used by doctors to measure blood pressure. The most common one in my small town is the inflatable one that goes around the arm and cuts off all circulation until you die…

_Have any questions? I might have matching answers!_

_Please review! (Criticism accepted as long as it's _constructive_…)_


	6. Of Mice and Men

AN: _*bows* Thank you all for the reviews/favorites/watches!  
To those of who you got confused on what happened in the hospital room, Cloud was just getting a regular old prostate exam… Sephiroth style, which is the same as doctor style only with added _humiliation. _*teeheehee*_

**Ratings**, **Disclaimer**, and _**iWarnings!**_ are still the same.

**Of Mice and Men  
(By: Megadeth)**

**Chapter 5**

***Nibel***

**Screams tore throughout the encampment** as dagger-like claws shredded through skin. It didn't take long for the sudden attack to come to an end. Ten bodies lay motionless on the ground, but the monster was hardly scratched. It stood upon its hind legs as it let loose a few shrill roars from each of its heads.

An evening breeze swept through the tall wheatgrass and dried the bloodied land while warm hues began to appear in the horizon from the sun setting sun. All that was left of the once beautiful, melancholy scene was carnage.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

***Near Junon***

Cloud fought against the waves that had been formed by the passing storm, but each time he took a stroke it felt as if he was pushed back twice as far. Brief glimpses of land were his only proof that he was gaining any ground, and he'd begun to close the distance the others had on him. Most had noticed that they were getting waterlogged during the swim and had stopped to carefully remove any disposable pieces they had on them.

It seemed to take hours… hell, it _was_ taking hours, but they seemed to luck out since the major part of the storm had turned in favor of heading south. Now, there wasn't a cloud seen for miles; compliments of Junon's weather. The sun began to sink behind them and its glow turned the water's surface into glistening ruby sapphires. Though the ocean was still cold from the downpour, it never reached hypothermic levels. Cloud's breathing was becoming labored as his unenhanced body struggled with the laborious activity. He'd long since stopped thinking about how far he still had to swim and focused more on staying active and keeping up his strokes.

The sun finally set and turned the ocean into a deep, rich blue, and by the time he reached shore most of the others were already collapsed near the beach. It took a while, but the slower swimmers made it back with the rest of them and looked for their pals. As they joined up together they laughed and gave rounds of high-fives for completing the first of the tests.

"Jason?" one of the taller boys started calling. "JASON!"

A few others also began yelling out for their missing friends. Everyone looked toward the ocean in hopes to maybe spot a head or two coming up with the waves. There was nothing. They made two groups to scout the southern and northern ends of the beach in case a couple drifted away from the group, but both came back unsuccessful.

A few hours later, they were all either scattered out in clusters or quietly sitting alone. It seemed as if they were all off in their own little world. Of course, with that type of examination, how were they not prepared to lose someone? Did they think that everything would turn out fine, that only those who backed out were the ones that didn't have a chance at making it? Cloud shook his head in disapproval. How could Shinra allow such a reckless test to be done on people who were barely adults?

"Congratulations on passing the first of my tests." All heads turned in the direction of the mellow voice coming from behind them. There was only a half moon out, but the Commander had his face in a book and was apparently trying to finish the last chapter before he paid them any attention.

"Wha… what the hell!" the boy from earlier stood up and faced his superior. "What the fuckin' hell is going on?"

"I see you liked my test," Rhapsodos coldly replied, flipping another page.

"Don't you care?" the other was on the verge of crying. "You created this fuckin' test to test _our_ limits, right? This wasn't supposed to be something we could fuckin' _die_ over!"

The examinee was ignored as he continued to yell out how immoral and wrong it was.

"Are you done?" the Commander asked mid-rant and caused the boy to pause. Taking the momentary silence to his advantage, Rhapsodos began his own speech. "If you are going to cry and throw a fit over every one of your friends that die here then I suggest you start packing your things and head home now. Believe me when I say that it's only going to get worse. Now that this has finally nailed the consequences of what can happen in the battlefield into your heads…" the Commander snapped his book shot and turned to point north, "… there is an old rusted building over there. Go to it and rest for the night, I suggest you get it while you can. Those of you who do not wish to continue may go report to an officer located back at the recruitment building. But remember: as of here on out there will be consequences. If you decide to discontinue then you will not be allowed to retake the SOLDIER 3rd test again!"

The group of examinees watched in silence as the Commander turned on his heel and walked south towards Junon. Cloud was the first one to get up and dust off his pants. Barefoot and drenched like a rat, he walked north to where the rusted building was said to be. One by one the others came to their own decisions and followed.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

***Junon***

Sephiroth's left arm itched. He was currently in a meeting with the war councilors. They brought out maps of Wutai and had sticks to move their small wooden chess pieces across the smooth table. And Sephiroth's arm _really_ itched. The dull drone of their voices made him reminisce about his time spent in the lab. Hojo claimed it was a better form of mako and wasted no time in finding where to stick the needle. Sephiroth remembered feeling a little uncomfortable afterwards, but now…

_Damn_. He folded his arms to inconspicuously rub at the offending itch.

"General." Someone called out. All eyes in the room focused on him to await a response…. he had no idea what they just said.

'_The fools shouldn't even be planning. They hardly know what to do_.' He grumbled silently while the silence seemed to drag on, he only hopped that they would mistake his silence for pondering.

"Well?" Scarlet spoke up. "I think it's a great idea. Moving the forces into Wutai now and bringing down all resistance before they have a chance to counter _us_ seems like the best option." And she flicked back her hair with a hand.

It was annoying.

"I think that's a horrible idea," he countered. "For starters, we have no solid supplies or reinforcements in Wutai, it's hurricane season, and our men aren't used to providing shelter in those conditions as the Wutai are. The best time to move in would be later on in the season. We'll have more men, more supplies, and the watch for weather is lower."

Sephiroth sat silently and stopped paying attention as the others fussed over the details. It was all about things that changed on the spur of the moment anyways. He used to be patient with these meetings and never minded sitting through them before, but now he was grateful when it was over and they were all dismissed.

He was finally dismissed to the sanctuary of his own apartment when the President caught hold of his arm in the hallway.

"General, may I have a moment?" It wasn't a question or a request, and the arm that had the annoying itch was now turning into a dull throb.

"President," he acknowledged.

"I'm sure you've heard the news lately, have you not?" The chunky man walked as eloquently as a person his size could, though it was still a disturbing sight as his middle jiggled about.

"Are you talking about the television or what's currently being discussed with the board of directors?"

"The TV," the President replied. Of course this conversation would revolve around the media. President Shinra was more worried about appearances then the actual war.

"I don't keep up with what the news reporters say," Sephiroth confessed as he stopped near the elevators. "Is there something I should be aware of?"

"You should be concerned with the rumors that are spreading about you and a certain cadet," the other did the honors and pressed the button for the doors.

"Rumors?"

"Yes, rumors."

The General gave a slight sigh. Neither he nor his friends had given a second thought to what other people had said about their relationship when _rumors_ started a few years back. They stayed together and had done what they always did, and the stories were forgotten when something bigger came up. Why should he start caring now?

"I believe it would be best for the company if you didn't go near the boy for a while," the President said and immediately slipped in when the doors opened.

Though Sephiroth not much cared for details, he was at a total loss as to what Shinra was referring to. The shorter man still kept talking as the elevator began moving them down.

"I'm sure you are aware of the fact that I have my fair share of mistresses-"

Sephiroth gave a mental shudder at the idea of the man trying to procreate again. With as much trouble as the Shinra youth caused in his teenage years, once was one too many.

"-as are many others here at Shinra… even my wife, but I make certain that I'm careful enough to not let the media get any wind of it. The scandal that it would create could put my status as President at risk, you see." The President paused for a moment to eye him and ended the look with an exaggerated sigh. Sephiroth just stood there while trying to make the elevator go faster by sheer force of will. "General Sephiroth, you're a well respected man. I will not question your… choice in sexual preference-"

His frowned deepened as he was realizing what this bothersome conversation was about.

"-and I will not hold it against you. I must agree that he's quite… _beautiful_… for a male, but I insist that you break whatever relationship you have with him now! The gossip that could spread about the company's finest General being a _homosexual _could bring us to ruin. Parents would refuse to send their boys here for military training and those that are already here would leave!"

As the doors opened, Shinra gave a pleased sound and tried to delicately walk out of the shared space. "I'm glad we had this talk. Think about what I said before you decide." And then the other merrily strutted his way out of the building.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

Angeal had just come out of the stairway when silver caught his eye. He grinned and was about to call out to Sephiroth, when an intense killing aura filled the air. His feet stayed grounded while his instincts told him to run. Cat-like eyes were targeting something in the distance, gloved hands twitched, and the eyes changed focus when a closer target was within range- him.

The elevator shut as it made a soft _ding_ and the aura disappeared with it. The numbers at the top of the closed panels told that it was heading to one of the upper floors.

Angeal fell back against the wall and drew in a breath that he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He never felt that intense hatred from his friend before... Sephiroth _never had_ slit pupils before…

His mind then grasped onto what had just went back up that shaft. Giving a soft curse, he jerked open the door to the stairway and ran back up in hopes to catch Seph before anything catastrophic happened. He made it to the 37th floor in record time, and whoever rung the elevator back up was long gone, probably taking a different one. Angeal stood tense as the elevator doors glided open.

He relaxed. The killing aura was gone and Sephiroth appeared to be fine, even though his eyes were downcast. If only his vision from before wasn't so clear, Angeal could have almost believed that he'd been seeing things. Both stood there waiting for the other to speak.

"Going down?" Sephiroth asked, cutting the tension.

Angeal nodded and walked into the elevator. "What happened back there?"

Sephiroth looked troubled and his gaze shifted to everything except him. "I don't know." It was an honest answer, but judging from the way the other was moving it was also an attempt at feigning ignorance.

"You don't know?" Angeal scoffed. "There was enough bloodlust in the air to go on a killing spree, and you say you don't know?" When blue eyes locked with green, Sephiroth was the one to turn away first. "Seph, back there… I could feel it, and I don't ever want to sense that from you again."

"It won't happen again. It was a momentary reaction to something that I wasn't prepared for. It… won't happen again."

Angeal eyed the other, studied him. There was something off in the way he was speaking, like Sephiroth was using the words to convince _himself_. "What's gotten into you these past few days?"

"It's not any of your business," his friend quickly growled out.

"I'm not the only one who's noticed these irregularities in you, and what happened isn't something to be overlooked! Genesis has been worried too! You haven't been acting like yourself since the accident!"

Sephiroth didn't respond and only continued to look distantly ahead.

"I didn't think too much about it when I first noticed," Angeal confessed. "I thought Genesis was just on another one of his ideas that Shinra's conspiring against Goddess knows who. I thought I was just amusing him and…" '_and his inane ideas that Hojo might be messing with your body more than he should_.' Angeal finished silently, following Sephiroth out of the elevator when it stopped.

"Angeal," Sephiroth turned to look him dead in the eye, his tone was void of emotion. "I am your superior officer. I would prefer it if I didn't have to pull rank on one of my friends." It was said as clear as day: _don't interfere in my business_. Angeal knew that speaking of Hojo had been a touchy subject when he brought it up, but he felt it was worth a try.

Then the General left him behind.

He stared ahead in silence. Feeling dejected, he walked out of the building and toward his own apartment complex. Angeal took out his phone and dialed up Genesis' number. It was sent straight to voice mail.

"This is Genesis. I'm either busy killing something for some science project or killing something because it _was_ the science project. Leave a message."

"Angeal speaking. I think you're right about Seph. He's…" he gave out a sigh, "just call me back when you can. I think it might be important."

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

Genesis made sure his phone had been turned off. It would make him particularly vexed if it rang during one of his speeches, and he didn't want it to interrupt him while he was testing the examinees during their SOLDIER tests.

It was still morning and the people inhabiting the building were out cold. The day before must have tired them greatly. The Commander gave a fond smile at that; they worked hard last night and deserved some restful sleep. The Officers had all said this was the highlight of their day, and he'd wanted to try it for such a long time now. Genesis took a deep breath and…

"WAKE UP, WORMFOOD!" he bellowed out and watched as the examinees were torn from their dreams and thrown into the harsh light that was reality. They scrambled to get out of their makeshift beds, and he had to force away any of the amusement he _might_ have felt to keep up the act. "Put your pants back on and get outside. Today we'll be continuing on to the next part of the test."

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

It wasn't nearly as hard as Cloud thought it would be. They were tested on their aim with ranged weapons as well as on their precision with swords and hand-to-hand combat. After a while, complaints from the others about being hungry and sore became a regular occurrence, but it seemed that neither the Commander nor SOLDIERs cared.

Morning turned to evening, and the examinees were on the ground with nothing better to do than to complain about their empty stomachs. The next test had the SOLDIERs calling on the examinees one at a time only to disappear inside the building. Most of the others had already been called and now it was Cloud's turn. He was taken in and then brought to one of the solid walls. Pressing a hidden switch panel, an access pad came into view and the SOLDIER typed in the code that opened the door.

'_And that solves the mystery of why it looks bigger from the outside_.' Cloud thought as he silently followed the other man down the halls. They came into a boxed room occupied by two men, a SOLDIER and a Turk.

"Welcome, Mr. Strife," the SOLDIER greeted as he picked up a file from the table and gestured to a chair in front of them. "Take a seat. We're just going to perform one of our psychological evaluations on you. First, we'll do the Rorschach test."

"Okay." Cloud sat down in the small chair, a bit nervous.

"I'm going to hold up some slides and you're going to tell us what you see in them. There are no right or wrong answers, so just say the first thing that comes to your mind." The man held up a slide with a black ink blob on it. "Now, what do you see here?"

Cloud tilted his head and took a moment to contemplate. "A girl holding flowers."

The man put the slide down and picked up another as the Turk wrote notes on a piece of paper. "Here?"

Again, Cloud took his time to look at it and replied, "A wing."

"How about this one?" the man asked and held up a particularly messy one. The blobs on it were chaotically done around near the base of the bigger blob. Almost like how Sephiroth had looked after…

"A city," he answered with the first _other_ thing that came to his mind. The Turk gave him a look before going back to the papers.

"This one?" Another slide was held up.

Sephiroth was in the air, his hair flying behind him, and the six foot sword seemed to be coming toward the viewer with the promise of death.

"… a heard of chocobos." Cloud said and coughed in attempt to relieve the dryness in his throat. Another slide was shown, resembling burning buildings surrounded by destruction, and Sephiroth was off to the side watching the chaos. "Trees."

The SOLDIER put the slides away and they started on another set of tests and questions, most of which Cloud had to tell a story about what was happening within the picture. He didn't think too much on it and just visualized what Zack and he talked about during their training breaks.

"Just a few more questions and then you can go," the man said, putting the papers into a folder and handing them to the Turk. "If red is fire then blue is…"

Both testers were looking at him patiently. It was no joke, apparently the man wanted him to answer questions that were told to elementary school students.

Cloud looked at them, but they seemed completely serious. "… _ice_."

"Good! Now, Mr. Strife, mother is a woman and father is a…"

"_Man_." Where they serious?

"Great!" the SOLDIER exclaimed appraisingly. "Now, you get eggs from a chicken and you get milk from…"

"A _cow_." Cloud responded and tried to voice his distaste. This had to have been some kind of joke.

"How much dirt is in a hole 3 feet by 6 feet by 6 feet?"

"There'd be 108 cubic feet of absolutely _nothing_." He glared at them. It was beginning to piss him off. He didn't need to answer these types of questions.

"Name three things that you'd see in a forest."

"Gagighandi, touch mes, and g-" Cloud paused mid word. He was going to say goblins, but those were on a small secluded island far to the east and weren't generally known by the public, "valrons."

"Good. Alright, Mr. Strife, if you're not alive you're dead, and if you're not asleep you're…"

"Awake."_ 'And getting paid to be a Shinra dog_.'

"Ok, Mr. Strife, the universe is-"

"Limitless and lacking temporal or spatial restraint, and seemingly categorized by our genetic inability to elevate to the quantum scale." He snapped out, but already he could feel his face burning. Not only did he interrupt the question in his momentary lapse of immaturity, but he actually blurted out something that some bookworm would say. He didn't want people getting the idea that he might want to go into the Science Department. '_Thank you, Reeve_.' He thought with sarcasm and made a mental note to never quote the man again. The bursts of childishness were getting the better of him, and it was all because of habitual reactions that he hadn't previously learned to control.

The Turk looked shocked as the SOLDIER burst out laughing. "That was the best answer I've heard all day!"

"I think we can stop with the questions," the Turk declared. "I have finished my evaluation of him."

Cloud didn't know if that was a good thing or bad thing...

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

Genesis waited in the room and could hear stomachs growling from the testers. He almost felt a small pang of pity for them. No, wait… that was amusement, never mind. All the testers had last eaten the day before. They were probably feeling week by now, but Genesis wasn't planning on giving them food. They had to be aware that there were times in the military that they'd have to go hungry for unknown amounts of time. It was a while before the last examinee entered the room, and the SOLDIER who followed called a few of the boys outside. The door shut and the ones still in the room were left with Commander Rhapsodos.

"Those of you who are still here: I congratulate you on passing the second part of this test." He turned around with the full intent to leave them again for the night.

"Wait, Sir! When do we get to eat?"

Genesis gave a sly grin, ignoring the question. "Follow me if you don't know the way down. You'll be sleeping in this building again." And out the door he went. A few gave soft curses as they got up on shaky legs and followed.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

Cloud could hear soft whispers coming from behind him. It seemed that the one who had gotten angry last night was talking to a few others about the tests.

"He's probably planning to starve us all! You saw the way he acted when he heard about the guys that drowned… and by his own test, no less! He doesn't care!"

The Commander was still a ways in front of them, but if Cloud could hear them in this hallway then he was sure that Rhapsodos could hear it as well with his enhanced hearing. They found themselves back in the first room and were told to stay there for the night. No food was given when their superiors left.

"See what I mean?" the guy raised his voice after a moment of silence. "That Commander doesn't care about us. He doesn't care if we die here and he surely won't give a damn if we die out on the field. We're just a bunch of pawns to him! To be used by Shinra, and if we don't make it: _'Oh, they were useless, just get rid of them'!_"

The other's paid rapt attention, and some were even nodding and throwing in their own comments.

"And another thing-"

"_Enough_." Cloud finally cracked, tired of all the complaining, tired of all the tests and head games. "If you have so much energy to waste then you can't be nearly as hungry as you claim to be." Many glares were sent his way. He realized that he probably made himself into a scapegoat.

"Well, looky here mister _'I follow orders and do as I'm told'_," the guy growled out. "Do you have any room to talk? We all saw you walk right to this building after the exam. You looked as if you didn't care either! I bet you're just some brown nose!"

"Shut the hell up!" Cloud got up to be eye to eye with the other, but damn… the guy was a good foot taller than him. "I know you're mad about losing your friend, but you need to focus more on the task at hand! Do you want to get into SOLDIER or not?"

"I do, but not under the authority of a guy like Commander Douche! I'd rather die in combat as a foot soldier under a respected officer than die as a SOLDIER under the command of someone who doesn't give two shits about his subordinates!"

"Then why is he personally taking care of the test? Why is he making sure that only those who are qualified to become SOLDIERs are passing? He may not care about us right now, but I can see why. As foot soldiers all we are is cannon fodder. We have no enhancements, no special skills, and all we do is go around carrying a gun and hope we hit something! So is it really so shocking that he's separating the strong from the weak?"

The other had his brows furrowed in anger, though also a bit surprised. "That's exactly my point! He doesn't care about the weak! I'd rather die then follow someone like him! I'd rather quit this test! I can do just as well as a foot soldier. There's no law against giving us mako enhancements!"

"Then why don't you?" Cloud growled out. He was done with this stupid argument and wanted to get rested up for tomorrow. He turned around to go back to his blankets on the ground, and it seemed to set the other off. A punch was thrown at him just as he began to walk away, and his battle instinct to duck saved him from a hit. They fought and struggled on the ground until Cloud got the other in a headlock.

"Don't _ever_ attack me _again_," he warned. The taller boy looked up in astonishment and nodded. Cloud let him loose and went outside, knowing he wouldn't be able to get much sleep anytime soon from the scuffle.

"Wait," one of the other boys in the room called. "Where are you going?"

"I'm checking to see if they left any of the weapons," he answered.

"Why?"

Cloud sighed at having to explain. "They didn't say that we couldn't leave the building, and I'm starving."

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

***Junon***

The black light was the only source of illumination in the dark room. Steady drops of water echoed in the stillness and the only other noise was that of irregular footsteps.

It was amazing, truly amazing, the effect that Specimen J's DNA had with the mako as it merged with the watery life. Its contrast of dark red swirling with bright green was hypnotizing, and it mixed to form a smooth brown tone. It was the same consistency as the last dose he'd given himself and his greatest research specimen, well... second to the Jenova specimen, anyways.

_~More… add_ more…~

He attached another set of tubes to add more of the dark red liquid. The research would do wonders in the creation of a new breed of SOLDIERs. The effects of adding too much of the DNA had resulted in uncontrollable mutation in other specimens, but he knew that specimen S would be able to handle... just a bit _more_.

The shimmering brown swirled with more of the dark red. He couldn't help but feel almost giddy about the results. The charts said that specimen S should have successful results when introduced to the new formula. He could feel it within himself. Something was going to happen and it would be because of this! This feeling… this was… it was…

"Professor Hojo?" a male voice broke in from behind, and he almost growled in annoyance.

"Professor Hollander, to do I owe the displeasure?" Hojo replied.

"Sorry if I interrupted, I came down to make sure everything was turned off… what are you doing?" Hollander asked and walked around to look as his curious nature got the best of him. The other was about to walk around the corner, and if he did he'd find what Hojo didn't want him discovering. It was his secret, his obsession, the other wouldn't understand the importance of what was trapped inside the mako tube.

_~Do it now!~_

A sudden urge overcame Hojo as he grabbed one of the syringes filled with the older formula of Specimen J's DNA and promptly stabbed the other in the back. Giving a surprised shout, Hollander collapsed to the ground and began to twitch. The cells worked surprisingly fast and blood seeped from the orifices of the fallen man only moments later.

Hojo didn't take his eyes off of the reaction; it was Science at its finest. This feeling, the word for it… was on the tip of his tongue.

The body below him gave a sudden intake of choked breaths. Bloodshot eyes were wide and panicked, and the body jerked in ways that hinted at excruciating pain. Too soon did it stop. Hojo stood by in silent fascination as the man's breathing began to even.

_~Reunion_.~

He smiled as a sudden epiphany came over him. He'd call it… _Reunion_.

_**To be continued…**_

AN: _Like it? I tried my best to keep it entertaining for you! Next will be the end of Cloud's tests and I hope it's a nice surprise.  
Why is Hojo in there, you ask?  
Plot device, Mr. Frodo… plot device._

_Have any questions? I might have matching answers!_

_Please review! (Criticism accepted as long as it's _constructive_…)_


	7. Uprising

AN:_ *bows* Thank you all for the reviews/favorites/watches! And jump for joy as this whole chapter felt like watching a filler episode off of Naruto! Alas, it had to be done.  
Hojo's character has always been a bit deranged, but the reason for his more straightforward and uncalculated actions now is because (hinted in the previous chapter) he is under the influence of J cells._

**Ratings**, **Disclaimer**, and_** iWarnings!**_ are the same.

**Uprising  
(By: Muse)**

**Chapter 6**

**Scarlet finished lighting all of the candles** on the dining table and turned off the lights. The evening she planned was flawless. Her dress was of a red sequined design with a thigh high slit. Her heels were of the newer style, high with braided strings, and her gold ankle bracelets matched the rest of her jewelry perfectly. She looked rich, and that's what every man had a taste for.

Hearing footsteps approaching the door, she fiddled with her hair to make sure the bun was perfect and she turned to send a seductive smile as the door opened.

"Scarlet," the President's son spoke, quickly flicking the lights back on. "What are you doing in my home?"

"I'm sorry for intruding, Rufus," Scarlet slowly walked up to him, putting an obvious sway in her hips and motioning to what was on the table. "I thought that maybe the both of us could eat dinner together."

She had the impression that his silence was a good thing and felt a little bubble of victory at the thought of how her appearance made him too astonished to think… until someone else could be heard coming toward them. Her little victory bubble deflated and was replaced with distaste.

"Mr. Shinra," the leader of the Turks said before pausing in the doorway, taking in the sight. "My apologies, Mr. Shinra, I had no idea you had company this late."

"Nonsense," Rufus quickly responded. "Madam Scarlet was just leaving. Weren't you?"

Scarlet frowned. The foolish boy had the audacity to open the door wider to give the general idea that he wanted her out. Fine, two could play that game. She gave a nod and slowly walked up to the door with an air of supremacy.

"This is?" she gestured at the man. She knew who he was... and they knew that she knew.

"The new head of Turks; Tseng," Rufus responded while the other gave a light bow.

"You look foreign," she said in feigned innocence, but her gaze was painfully critical.

"I am part Wutai, Madam."

"Oh," Scarlet's disgust was clearly heard. It was obvious that the Turk had Wutai in his blood. She was trying to degrade him, and it was working.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

Rufus slammed the door shut as she walked out before she could say anything else and eyed his employee.

"I gave orders not to allow anyone into my home," Rufus growled.

"I was not aware of her intrusion, it will never happen again," Tseng replied apologetically. "I've come here to inform you that the SOLDIERs sent out to Nibelheim have gone missing. We've lost all communications with them two days ago. I sent out some Turks to check the area, but they found nothing."

"Has my father heard anything about this?"

"No, Sir."

"Good, keep it that way." Rufus noticed the questioning look coming from the Turk and decided to elaborate. Tseng was, after all, his ace. "A few months ago my father somehow got it into his head that the Wutai want to go to war with us. He's so paranoid now that he's blaming them for everything. If he hears about this then he'll forget logic and the situation will be repeated."

"Understood, Sir." Tseng bowed and left the room.

'_Of course, my father wouldn't think of anything logical. If Wutai _did_ want to attack us they'd use ships and go around the Western Continent instead of _through_ it_.' The blond looked over to where the candle lit dinner was held and was half tempted to poke at the creations to make sure they wouldn't come to life. He should have kept Tseng here to taste test for poison as punishment for the sloppy security, but instead he quickly blew out the candles and tossed out all of the items. Tomorrow, he'll have the Turks sweep the area and check to make sure there aren't any tracers on his phone. Better safe than sorry.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

***Fort Condor***

Zack was getting pissed. It was totally out of his character to get this mad at people, but they were just… and he was just so… and just… GAIA he was so _pissed_!

One of their missions was to get the highest scored data and insert it into their laptop in a given amount of time. It seemed appropriate to assume that there'd be competition with at least one other team, which they had crossed paths with fifteen minutes ago. So far, with the way his superiors had been acting, he'd begun to think that they weren't supposed to help at _all_ during the test… just make sure he didn't somehow get himself killed. Yet, low and behold, the other group had the full team of three firing right at him!

Now, let's backtrack to the time of entering the area. He'd taken his helmet off and began rubbing the shield on his pants to get it clean. That's when he caught a glimpse of something shiny near the mountains from out the corner of his eye. He barely had enough time to duck when the sound of the gunfire was heard. He had actually felt one of the bullets whiz passed his head… his _head_! He'd even heard the high-pitched _psssszzzzzd _as it had flown by! That could have _hurt_, and he had to scramble behind one of the rocks in the area to safely reattach his helmet.

And now?

Now he couldn't get out from his position because whenever he tried to move he'd get shot at. Zack looked over his shoulder at the two formally unnamed SOLDIERs that he liked to call 'A' and 'B'. They were both just sitting there on the ground with their guns out and looking bored.

"You think you could help me out a little here?" Zack asked the two of them.

"We are scared," 'B' replied with a voice so dull it could put a round edge to shame, and Zack openly gapped at their reasoning for being lazy. It all came together now. All the times in which they sat comfortably while he pitched up the tents and did other odds and ends, or when traveling he'd have to carry the luggage all by himself. He must've gotten two of the worst people in the SOLDIER division to watch him for his testing.

Zack gave a 'ch' as he went down to the cases and pulled one of the mirrors out. Slowly, he raised it above the rock and used it to take note of movement coming from an area in the distance. It was good that the other team wasn't spread out. Zack memorized the spot in accordance to his shiny little mirror and took out one of the sniper scopes to attach to his gun.

"I'm going to go around the rock face and try to get a clear shot at them," Zack gave 'B' the mirror. "Hold that up and shine it toward them every now and then, and hold up your gun so you can keep their attention."

The two Firsts only rolled their eyes, but it seemed as if 'B' would do as told when he took the mirror. Zack grabbed both his Shinra issued sword and gun, and then slowly backed out of the line of sight. He climbed into a small ravine and used its path to sneak around. He was steadily getting closer to the other team's position, just a few more yards and he'd be in a perfect position to fire from behind.

Every so often the sound of shooting could be heard from the distance. It was comforting to know that the two SOLDIERs were at least keeping the others preoccupied… although, they weren't really doing anything.

A scuffle of boots was heard off to the side, and Zack immediately slipped into one of the rock wall's wider fissures to let the other pass. Coming into contact with yet another group wasn't part of Zack's plan, and he couldn't give away his position when he was so close! Luckily the other SOLDIER never looked his way and continued up the path.

"Are you sure?" the guy spoke into his radio, "I don't see him."

Zack didn't hear what else was said, he didn't really care either, but he did hear the sound of more footsteps coming from ahead. It was the targeted team, and when they ran into each other the shootout only lasted seconds before it ended. Coming out from his hidden spot, Zack looked at the three unconscious men lain on the ground and gaped at his own practice gun with a little more respect. '_Damn, these things packed one hellova punch!_'

But he had to hurry; both teams, and possibly others, now knew his general location and would be on the move. Zack didn't want to leave yet though… he knew where his targeted team would be coming in from and just wanted a little payback from the camping they tried to do. So with a little patience and a few timed shots, three more men were down.

Zack took the PHS out of his holder and contacted his team. "This is Zack. I got them! Grab the stuff and meet me out in the middle!" He holstered the device and made his way out. He was halfway surprised that 'A' and 'B' actually carried the equipment, but when they got to him they hastily dropped the items as if the luggage carried some form of disease. Their actions clearly said 'carry this shit yourself'.

Zack sighed and picked everything up. He would have brought more of an issue to this, but the six people behind him could be getting control back to their limbs anytime now, and he didn't want to be out here in the open when that happened. He made a halfway decent attempt at running considering he had four cases, three guns and swords, and other things weighing him down.

They finally found their objective. Mission: completed, data: scored, Jeep: obtained, and they went off to the next task.

'A' was somehow sleeping peacefully while sprawled out on top of the items and weapons in the back of the vehicle. The bumps and jerks of the machine had put him to sleep some time ago, but now it was stationary and the sounds of argument woke him up.

"The river isn't _that_ deep. It just came up to my waste!" their charge was yelling at 'B' and, true to his word, Zack was drenched from the waist down.

"I'm not getting my pants wet in order to cross a fuckin' _river_, kid. We can just go south, there's an old bridge down there."

"The jeep isn't that heavy, and the river's current isn't that bad. Even a few cadets could pick this thing up and carry it safely across!" The kid gave the mini-jeep a couple smacks on the hood for emphasis.

"Sorry, ked," 'A' spoke and lazily stretched as he let his heavy Mideel accent slip, "but I'm wit him on dis. 'mnot crossin' no rivah todays."

"What do you mean?" The guy didn't understand why they didn't want to go with the plan. HA, if only he knew. This kid was so wishy-washy. Though he was succeeding on the physical portions and objectives of this test, he was failing at the main one... leadership. He was just going to lay back down to get more shuteye. Yeah, that sounded good, and he tuned out the loud conversation in favor of getting some more sleep. He'd almost succeeded until he was picked up and dumped out of the vehicle.

"Wha?" He rubbed his sore back and tried to figure out what happened.

"No!" Zack had one finger pointed to him and a glare that dared him to speak.

'_Just what the hell?'_ He thought and glared over at his partner, figuring that it was the other's fault that the kid was this worked up. "'A', get up! 'B', we're crossing the river!"

"I told you I'm not doin' it!" 'B' was still trying to argue.

"Yes, you are!"

"No, I'm not!" It went back and forth between the two of them until Zack grabbed the other by his collar and pulled him right down to his face.

"Yes, you are! If you want to keep acting like an impudent cadet then I'll treat you like one! The bridge you're talking about is too far and we won't have enough gas to make it to our destination if we go that way. Now, I tested that river and it's safe to cross so we're crossing, got it?"

"... yes, sir" 'B' gave 'A' a curious glance. The past SOLDIER testers usually just gave up on them when they decided they were useless. This kid was trying harder at every turn.

Zack calmly let go of 'B' and glared right at 'A'. "Do you have any back problems?"

"No…" he replied with a questioning gaze.

"Then get up off of the ground and help us with the jeep!" the kid ordered. 'A' rolled his eyes, but decided to help out anyways.

The three of them grabbed the base of the vehicle, carefully lifted it, and slowly crossed the river.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

***Junon***

"He's not coming. He's probably just sitting in his office waiting 'til we all start dying of hunger or thirst."

All the examinees were back inside the building. The night before, Cloud and a few others checked the perimeter for any sign of wildlife. There was none. There wasn't even a fresh water source nearby. Now all they were doing was waiting for the Commander to show up.

"He probably forgot about us, you know? Or seeing how long we can last without food or water." The guy that had tried to take a swing at him last night had been complaining for almost an hour now, and though most agreed, they had lost their interest in what was said some time ago.

"You know, there's this rumor about him among the SOLDIER ranks." That perked people's attention again. "It's said that Commander Rhapsodos had taken on a couple juniors to mentor. You know, like what Angeal does every now and then, but they'd always quit SOLDIER and go back home."

"What are you getting at?" one of the boys spoke up in annoyance.

"What I'm getting at is that the last guy who was mentored by Rhapsodos was never seen again! Like I said, I heard it from a few SOLDIERs! I overheard them talking about how there was this guy, one of the more promising SOLDIERs, who went missing out on one of his missions a few years ago! They were talking about how the guy was going to probably replace the Commander, but then he suddenly vanished!"

"What?" one of the other guys said as they sat up, "that's not true, is it? You're just joking, right?"

"It's all true! Why do you think that Hewley is still in the mentor program, but no one's ever seen Rhapsodos with a student?"

"Isn't it like you said," Cloud spoke up, "that it's all just rumors?" He received a glare from most of the others who didn't appreciate the story's interruption.

"Yeah, but isn't there at least some truth to rumors," the other countered. Cloud turned around and ignored whatever else was said. Let them all think what they wanted. The other guy was just probably trying to get them all to fight as an act of revenge for his lost friend.

Cloud paused and looked around. The four others that were with him last night were the only ones trying not to pay attention. They rest soaked up the words like a sponge, and the look in their eyes reminded him of the people in early AVALANCHE. They were about to rise up, and if they started to fight against their superior then they'd have no chance in hell in continuing the test, let alone stay in Shinra. It was best to end this now before anyone else wrecked their dream of SOLDIER in the heat of the moment just because of one hot-headed guy.

"This is getting way over your heads," Cloud warned as he got up. He was a little shaky from the lack of food, but so was everyone else.

The other guy was swiftly up on his feet too, but somehow stood firm. "Oh, really? So what do you plan to do? Fight for some deranged lunatic like some Shinra dog?"

"I'm not a Shinra dog!" He wasn't! The comment would have slid off his shoulder if not for the fact that sometimes he had to remind himself of that. He was fighting for the planet, for Zack and Aerith and Tifa, for everyone! He was using Shinra to get stronger, not the other way around!

"You look pretty tamed to me, _dog_!" the other yelled at him. As Cloud stepped forward to teach the brat a lesson, one of the guy's lackeys hopped up and was soon followed by the whole room. Their eagerness to throw punches reminded him of the drunken fights at Seventh Heaven.

They were split, a three to one ratio, and from the looks that Cloud was getting he felt like he was in for a world of hurt.

"I hope I'm not interrupting something," a deep voice came from the doorway. "Should I come back later?"

Everyone in the room dropped their stances and faced forward as the Commander leaned against the doorframe. Though as amused as his expression was, Cloud didn't think he'd be too humored once he found out what this scuffle was about. The redhead looked directly at the one that started the dispute. "Report."

Cloud's jaw dropped as the other's personality did a one eighty and stood at attention. "Sir, argument over authority, Sir!"

"Whose authority?" the Commander questioned.

"Yours, Sir!"

"At ease, SOLDIER." Everyone was dumbstruck as the declared SOLDIER dropped his salute.

"Wha… what's going on?" one of the other boys tried to make a half laughed attempt to try and lighten the mood.

"A test of loyalty," the SOLDIER replied with a smile and looked over to Cloud and the others beside him, "and congratulations to you five, you're deemed worthy enough to pass."

"Wait!" someone else spoke up, "something isn't right here! If this is what you say it was then how did the Commander know when to come in at exactly the right time?"

Commander Rhapsodos stood quietly and allowed the SOLDIER to explain. "This belt buckle has a button that I pressed to send a signal."

"But… so… everything that you said…"

"Was to see if you would follow me and 'rise up against a Commander that _might_ be corrupt', or follow blondie over there," he nodded his head in Cloud's direction, "and stay loyal."

"What about the others that died during the first test!" someone else piped up.

Rhapsodos gave a chuckle, "No one died during the first test."

"Like hell no one did! What about my friend? I saw him jump into the water with me, and he didn't make it to shore!"

"The tests are carefully observed," the Commander responded lazily. "There were SOLDIERs underwater that were watching over the event. If there was any moment in time that one of the examinees stayed under too long then they were brought into one of the submarines to be revived. When test time was up, they were transported back to Junon so none of you would see."

"Why… why set all of this up like that?"

"To see if you are worthy to make it into SOLDIER," the redhead replied. "You may not be aware of it because this kind of thing doesn't make the news, but every so often there are a few of you who get into SOLDIER and either abandon their responsibility or go temporarily insane. This year I've come to personally weed out those who are weaker minded _before_ they get their enhancements and run rampant through the cities."

"And we failed just because of a SOLDIER who tried to get us to quit from the get-go! I was sitting right behind him during the signups, he was saying things!"

"No," the Commander growled out fiercely. "You failed because you're weak-minded and weren't loyal to me." The room was filled with pissed off and confused foot soldiers. "During war there's always someone trying to find a way to break a military's strength from the inside. Rumors, either true of false, spread through an encampment like wildfire and doubts arise. It causes splits that weaken the group and guarantee the opponent's victory.

"Maybe you have forgotten what SOLDIER is about. So, let me explain. The first test wasn't the physical; it was inside the recruitment building. It was to test your courage, to see if you would take a test that, if failed, could forever cripple the chances of rising within the ranks. The second was to test your stamina, both mental and physical. I could have easily made you run laps around Junon like the previous examiners did, but pausing for breaks was too often done and in the ocean you can't just _stop_ swimming. It exhausted you physically and mentally, always thinking _'if I don't finish this I could die'_. People who couldn't handle it went under. The last test was to check your mental health, to see how long it took for you to crack and _how_ you would crack.

"And this last one was the most important of all; loyalty. Not to Shinra, but to your superior officers."

"Permission to speak, Commander," the SOLDIER spoke up.

"Granted."

"I request that foot soldier Dwite also be promoted to SOLDIER."

The boy looked surprised at the request.

"Reason?" Rhapsodos inquired.

"Dwite had been hanging out with me since the beginning. Last night he'd spoken with me and asked me to quit my behavior. Dwite was the first one up during the argument, followed by others. I believe that he wasn't fighting to go against you, but for a friend."

The Commander eyed the blushing kid down and nodded. "Approved, congrats to you six. I have high hopes for you in SOLDIER… don't let me down."

_**To be continued…**_

AN: _For Mideel's accent I had always thought it would have a Jamaican sound, cause… well, it's a small island. Lol. I'm not racist! DON'T JUDGE ME!_

_I hope you guys didn't see that ending coming in the exams though. I tried to do a different test than what other people have done, more psychological if anything. Though the swimming part is used often, nevertheless it is such a good one to do. Seriously. But I did put my own twist on it to make it different. I do hope you see Genesis' reasoning for doing the test the way he did. Forgive him?_

_For Zack's OOCness… well, it's not OCC to me cause I've never played FF7:CC (he looks kinda ditzy in the trailers) but since I haven't I still have the idea in my head that's he's this remarkably nice guy, kinda silly, but can kick ass. Cause in the game he tried to make Cloud feel better with some light humor, and fought until the end. So, yeah, all that small stuff from the first game just made him seem like this completely awesome person in my eyes. REMEMBER: he's only nineteen so his personality isn't fully like an adult's, but he IS getting there. People aren't just _born_ awesome…  
*looks at Sephiroth*  
OK… most _normal_ people aren't born awesome.  
Seph:… -_-_

_Have any questions? I might have answers!_

_Please review! (Criticism accepted as long as it's _constructive_…)_


	8. Everything You Know is Wrong

AN: _*bows* Thank you all for the reviews/favorites/watches!_

**Ratings**, **Disclaimer**, and _**iWarnings!**_ are still the same.

**Everything You Know is Wrong  
(By: Weird Al)**

**Chapter 7**

**What Hollander first noticed** upon waking up was that he couldn't see clearly. Everything was in a blur and sounds were muffled to his ears. A light was soon cast directly into his pupil, and the pain done to his retina caused him to flinch.

"He's coming around, Professor Hojo," a female nurse spoke as she turned back around to face him. He recognized her; it was nurse Slarky.

"Good, good."

Hollander sat up on the hospital table he was laying on. He brought a hand up to his head as a case of a dizzy spell overwhelmed him. "What happened?"

"What do you remember?" Hojo asked as he took the nurse's tiny flashlight and also checked his eyes. Hollander recapped what he could.

Last night… he'd clocked out and was headed home, but then he turned back when he remembered that he'd forgotten to turn the lights off in the lab. Then he'd noticed that the black light was still on in a room further down in the hallway, so he'd gone to turn those off too. Then, afterwards… nothing.

"You collapsed," Hojo informed him, "and I found you. I brought you into the closest room so you could rest. I figured the combined stress from work and slight dehydration took its toll on you. Be sure to get plenty of water."

"Of course. Thank you, Professor Hojo," Hollander still felt partially dazed and lightheaded, and was thankful that the other didn't mention his sickness in front of the others. Hojo almost seemed kind, and the man wasn't known for his accommodating personality.

Hollander swung his body around and got off of the table. As soon as his weight was supported by his legs a shock of pain went up his spine and he made a noise of complaint. He must have hit something when he fell. Hojo ordered the nurse to continue with her work, and Hollander left the room without a second thought to as to why he was on Hojo's research table.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

Cloud was excited. At least a part of him was anyways, or maybe both parts. On one hand he was achieving his dream of becoming a SOLDIER, and on the other hand he was actually _becoming_ a SOLDIER instead of just _thinking_ he was. It was a step up to know that he could pass the tests without physical enhancements. A small goal that, if he'd never gone back through time, he never knew he could complete.

He and the other five were sitting in front of the audience as Rhapsodos introduced them as the newest members of SOLDIER.

The reporters were allowed into the vicinity to give the public knowledge on all who had passed, and they were having a field day.

Everyone, with exception of the company heads, was excited about the promotion ceremony. It was unheard of that so few people passed a test ranked for Third Class. So the one made by Commander Rhapsodos must have picked out the best of the best!

Yet, behind closed doors, no one had heard the scolding that the Commander had gotten from the VP about the test being too hard. The President had hoped for at least fifty more enhanced SOLDIERs to go off into battle with the Wutai.

Cloud was roaming the crowd with his eyes for a certain dark, spiky-haired individual, but couldn't find him. '_He must still be taking his test.'_ He thought, but gave the crowd another scan just in case. Ever since he came back he hadn't been given a chance to talk to Zack; it was kind of a letdown.

"So, without further ado," Rhapsodos added, "I give you the newest members of SOLDIER: Josh Bowsie, Dorian Dwite, Markus Gray, Ted Hertini, Isaac Pang, and Cloud Strife."

And the celebrations were done. The new Thirds were ordered to go back to their barracks and move their things into their new rooms.

Everything was going smoothly now, and in his head Cloud had a plan. Now that he was in SOLDIER he was one step closer to completing his goal. It was a simple step by step process really. Get mako enhanced, become as strong as he was before, stop _everything_ from happening, and bring down the Shinra Electric Company; save the world: The End.

Cloud was greeted by the sight of his old roommates when he walked into the room. They had gotten a hold of some type of game board and were using it for entertainment. They hadn't begun talking to him and, of course, he didn't want to talk to two of the three anyways. He'd almost drowned because of them.

"Congrats," one of them said after a while, "on passing the SOLDIER test." It didn't sound like it held any sincerity to it.

"Thanks," Cloud murmured and finished stuffing his clothes into the bag. It seemed to break whatever nervousness the other two had that made them unable to speak.

"Do you know General Sephiroth? What was it like inside his home?" the two asked all sorts of questions at once.

"What are you talking about?" Cloud asked, feeling a bit bombarded.

The tallest boy in the room stood up and asked his question first, apparently forgetting the incident that had happened only days ago. "Do you know Sephiroth?"

"No, kinda… in a way," Cloud answered. It was the truth. He had the pleasurable misfortune of meeting the General before and after the insanity struck, but now he didn't really want to be known as acquaintances. The three gave him strange looks, and one of the others gave a 'pfft' while the other added with a 'definitely'. Cloud was puzzled, but he also didn't really care about their thought process. He was out of here as soon as his bags were packed.

"You were in his house, right?" the other asked. "What's it like inside?"

"I don't know…" Cloud paused to remember what he saw when he'd woken up there, the absolute simplicity of it. "Normal, I guess."

"HA! So it's true then!" the smaller one declared. Cloud made a face when he realized that he, himself, was the smallest in the room…

"What's true?" he asked offhandedly. When was he going to have his growth spurt? He forgot.

"Pfft, you can't mean you don't know. It's been all over the news for _days_!" The small TV was turned on just in time for the video to start up again, and sure enough it was still in the reports. It seemed to be shot from far away by an amateur camera man. You couldn't tell what it was shooting, but there was movement in the building. Upon zooming in, the camera caught a blurred vision of a long, silver-haired man… the General, crouched and leaning down to a blond-haired boy that was down on the floor. The camera came into focus, and you could see lips coming together…

Pressing down…

Connected.

"What the hell?" flew out of Cloud's mouth before his thoughts had a chance to catch up. The video was quickly disrupted by the appearance of a SOLDIER. The person that stopped it didn't have any idea of what was recorded, and so the camera man got away with keeping the juicy story.

The remote was thrown angrily onto the small couch. "So are you and the General really… you know?"

Because in the video you couldn't see that it was at the swimming pool. It looked like he was just laying there.

"What?" Came his brilliant reply. Because, really, it was all just a camera effect… because nothing of that sort could have really happened, right?

"He's asking: Are you really gay and sleeping with the General?"

Because when Cloud saw his own mouth against the General's his brain decided that it was the perfect time to stop working so it could cope with what it had just witnessed.

In the background the TV was still on, and the news reporter was talking as if she were the cat that had gotten the cream. She was saying things like 'the General has finally taken a lover, and it appears to be a small blond _male_!' and laughed 'Watch out for your future military boys, ladies and gentlemen!'

Because his brain would start working again at any moment now; he was sure of it.

"Oh, fess up. You're a fag, aren't you? That's why you were getting free lessons from that other SOLDIER. Everyone's already figured it out!"

Because at that moment red filled his vision, and Cloud's brain tuned in on the most familiar emotion known to him. His voice gave a dangerous warning tone. "What are you implying?"

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

Ted and Dorian were hanging out as newly proclaimed SOLDIER 3rds after their roommates congratulated them both on the promotions. The blond kid, which surprised a lot of people, and Ted had only just recently gotten into foot soldier. It appeared that hard work really did pay off!

During their walk they decided to go to the new SOLDIER 3rd rooms with their entire group. So they picked up the three others and were now headed to pick up Cloud. Hopefully the other hadn't already gone.

By the time they got to Cloud's hallway they saw heads poking out from the doorways and heard the sounds of what seemed to be a scuffle. Jealous people turning physical after someone else's promotion wasn't unheard of and assuming this was about Cloud, Ted and Dorian dropped their bags and quickly ran towards the disturbance.

Upon opening the door they witnessed Cloud moving off of a guy on the ground. The blond quickly turned to deliver a solid punch to another's face while the tallest of the bunch arm locked him from behind and threw him to the floor. Cloud's body twisted around before the kick could reach his ribs and swiped the guy's legs out from under him. He then hopped back up and dove for the last one standing while the other two grabbed at his feet to impair his movement.

It all happened so fast that Ted only got a single curse in before he ran to pull them apart. Ted thought he had restrained the blond enough by holding his arms, but Cloud got one last attack off in the form of a good solid head-butt and smirked at the sound of a broken nose and a cry.

"Get off of me!" Cloud demanded, "I can fight them! I don't need you to shield me!"

"We know you can fight!" Ted exclaimed. "And I'm not protecting you; I'm protecting _them_!" but the blond looked horrible. His face was beat up and hints of bruising were already forming. He had a split lip, a bit of blood rolling down both arms from scratches, and torn clothing to complete the look. The others… they might not have looked as beat up as Cloud, but still looked pretty bad for a three against one match as they sat nursing their own wounds.

Ted had seen Cloud fight in the cadet ranks when he'd first joined Shinra, but he'd never seen him fight like _that_. There was so much ferocity and quick, precise movements. He now could see how the smaller guy throwing down the hidden SOLDIER wasn't just a fluke.

"These your bags?" Dorian asked Cloud.

"Yeah," the blond replied and Ted felt that he'd cooled off enough to release him from the hold.

"You done packing?"

"Yeah." One word answers always did suit a situation like this best.

The other Thirds stayed silent as they picked up their bags and left the observers to watch as they all headed to the new rooms together... though, they took a side trip to the bathroom to get Cloud fixed up.

All of the SOLDIERs got a good look at the six coming into the building. Usually new Thirds would be excited about moving into a less crowded area, but it appeared that whatever happened between leaving the ceremony and coming here made them lose their enthusiasm, and the smallest one looked like he'd gotten the shit beat out of him.

"HEY!" the newcomers turned toward the voice, it was the SOLDIER from the test. He gave a half-assed jog to reach them and noticed the blond. "Holy crap, what happened to you?"

"Nothing."

"Cloud got into a fight with his roommates," Dorian answered. The boy's face flushed and looked down.

"Cloud," the SOLDIER said and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "If you're getting beat up then you need to tell an officer!" The blond murmured something he didn't quite catch. "Huh?"

"I said I started the fight," Cloud mumbled a little louder. "I threw the first punch."

"Uhh…" the SOLDIER was at a loss of what to say and looked around awkwardly. "Let's pretend I didn't hear that!" because if he _did_ hear it then he'd have to report it, and he didn't want to do that. SOLDIERs were separated from the rest of the military. They were all brothers here, and they stuck together... no matter their rank. "Anyways, we've never really been introduced. I'm Dallas, SOLDIER Third Class for three years."

"Three?" Cloud felt a dead weight in his stomach. How long did it usually take to receive stronger doses of mako?

"Ahh, yeah. I was good enough for SOLDIER, but it appeared that I have a low tolerance to mako. So I'm stuck at this level of enhancements. That's why I was asked to sneak into the test… because I'm so gosh-darn good lookin'." Dallas joked, but the rest of it was true, his dark eyes barely held any presence of the mako glow. "There're a few other people stuck in Third and Second because of their tolerance levels. That's why there're so few SOLDIER 1sts around. Not that many people were born to be adapted to the green stuff."

Cloud breathed out his relief. He knew he had a higher tolerance. It wouldn't take that long to get stronger.

"Anyways," Dallas continued, "follow me. I'll show you to your rooms and take you to the meeting spot."

Their rooms weren't much bigger compared to the ones in the barracks, but they seemed more spatial because they were only shared with one other person. After they set their bags on their respective beds the six followed Dallas out.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

"That one would be great for the broad sword," Angeal commented as the tallest boy got up and went forward to pick, but sure enough the miniature version of Masamune was chosen again as a first pick. The redhead brought his hand up to hide a smirk.

'_This is a stupid tradition_.' Sephiroth thought as they hid behind the bleachers, watching to see what weapon the new SOLDIERs were going to choose for their preferred fighting style. It had started seven years ago when fame was first thrown in his direction, and Genesis had mentioned something about how there was going to be an increase of SOLDIERs that would want to fight like him. He doubted it at first, but as his fame grew so did the number of SOLDIERs that picked the katana.

The recruiting advertisement in the Shinra posters was to be blamed. It said "Become a SOLDIER... choose your weapon" and had a picture of him with Masamune. After that came the increase of katana users. Older SOLDIERs had to work with the newer ones and brief them of their own body types and natural stances. They couldn't deny them of their freedom of choice, but at least they could nudge them in a better direction.

Another of the boys got up and the katana was selected.

Sephiroth drowned out the commentaries in favor of watching the blond. He kept wondering… was that still just the annoying brat, or was he right the first time in sensing old hatred from within? The kid had been a fan, he was certain of it, and would surely pick the katana, but if he didn't…

"He'd probably work best with the rapier or katana," Genesis admitted as he observed Cloud.

Angeal hummed a bit and studied the kid's structure. "A short sword would actually be best for his type, being small can be an advantage if you're quick."

"Buster sword."

Sephiroth hadn't meant to say that out loud, and was mentally hitting himself as his two friends sent odd looks his way.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

It didn't surprise Cloud when the others chose the katana. As far as he could remember he'd also wanted to wield the sword and get acknowledgement from the General, but not this time. He went forward and selected the broadsword. It was a good foot or two shorter than the buster and at least fifty pounds lighter. He was glad for that... it still seemed heavy to his unenhanced form.

"You sure you want that one?" Dallas smiled at him.

"Yeah," he answered, feeling good to have a weapon again.

They were soon escorted to the hospital's wing and were told to wait in the room.

"Hello," a lady came in, "I'm nurse Slarky. I'll be giving you a few doses of mako and observe the effects you may have."

She called Josh and the tallest of their group went up to the chair and sat down.

"Strap these on, please," she kindly asked as she held up restraints attached to the bed.

Josh looked at her in horror. "Is it going to hurt?"

"Oh, no," she waved off, "…at least I hope not. There might be a slight stinging feeling, but other than that some people can go into a short seizure. It happens on some occasions, but this is just to ensure you don't accidently harm yourself _if_ you go into one."

The explanation seemed good enough, and he gave her his arms and she strapped him down.

"Ok, now this might sting a bit so don't move!" she smiled sweetly as she stuck the needle in and slowly injected the brilliant glowing mako.

"OWowowow!" Josh yelped and tried to stay still as she slowly pulled the needle out.

"There. Now just stay still for a moment." The boy sitting in the chair took on a slickly color to his face and he groaned aloud. They all watched and waited for a moment. "All better now?" the nurse asked as the boy started to open his eyes again.

"Yeah," he responded. "I feel pretty good actually."

The nurse released him and called up the others one at a time. Dorian and Mark had the same reaction as Josh, but then Ted reacted like something else entirely.

"How do you feel?" the nurse asked as she unstrapped him. Ted just rose up his arm and stared at it intently as he moved it side to side. "Mr. Hertini?"

Ted started giggling as a huge smile was plastered on his face. The nurse got her flashlight out and checked his eyes. "Mr. Bowsie, Dwite, can you two escort Mr. Hertini back to his room when you go?" They nodded and lifted Ted up.

The other boy's reaction to the mako was the same as the first three only a little worse… he threw up, but he felt better after.

"Mr. Strife," she called and gestured for him to sit in the chair.

Cloud got strapped in and got the same stinging effect that the other boys had. '_Ah, that really does hurt_,' he thought while the nurse pulled the needle out. It made him feel a little weird and his head became a bit foggy.

"How are you feeling?" the nurse asked him.

"Swell," he replied as she unstrapped him. After a moment with him sitting there she began looking at him strangely. She grabbed the flashlight from her shirt pocket and shone it in his eyes.

"Will you other two please escort Mr. Strife to his room also?" she chuckled.

Cloud felt pretty good, so he didn't need anyone to help him up. "I'm fine," he said politely and smiled at the kind nurse as he stood on his own two feet.

See? He could do this!

A few minutes later and they were out of the room while Cloud and Ted were being supported by the others. Ted never seemed to stop giggling as he whipped his head around to try and see everything, and Cloud didn't stop talking.

"I love you, man," the blond chuckled to the person on his right, and then joked to the one on his left. His speech had really taken on a slurred tone right after he'd almost fallen on his face in the room, and as they were heading out of the building the small SOLDIER had confessed his love to every person they had come across… and one plant.

"You guys know what we need to do sometime, right?" Dorian said as he looked at the happy, mako drunk Cloud. They started laughing because their line of thought was the same. Someday the six of them would have to sneak out to go to a pub and get the blond smashed.

Cloud was now talking about his mom. He loved his mom too.

They came to a halt as the three elites appeared from around the corner, and both groups paused to stare at each other.

"Sirs!" Josh broke the moment. "I swear this isn't what it looks like."

"We know, mako testing," their Commander replied and eyed the group. "Only two?"

"Yes, Sir," Dorian said. "Do you know why they're like this?"

"Mako tolerant people can accept small doses in their bloodstream when first introduced," the General informed them. "Those that don't have tolerance will reject it. You four won't be given as much mako in the future as these two." He gestured toward Cloud and Ted.

"What does that mean?"

"It means," Hewley began, "that if you're intolerant your body will try to reject it. Most of the time people will get nausea." One of the boys looked down at this. "The sickness varies from person to person. The SOLDIER that was with you during the tests was debilitated for two days."

"If you're mako tolerant then you'll have a reaction like these two. It'll be easily accepted into your body. First time introductions really mess up the head," Rhapsodos finished with a smirk.

While they were talking, Cloud succeeded in his attempts to stand on his own two feet and brush off the two that held him. They watched as he marched right up to their three superiors.

"And you!" Cloud slurred as he swayed right in front of the General, "are such a _bastard_!"

Cloud felt as if he was just about to fall over, but for some reason Sephiroth took pity on him. The General reached out an arm to help keep him steady instead of falling on his face. At first Cloud was going to demand why the other acted the way he did, but his train of thought changed when a newer, more brilliant idea came to him. And who was he to deny what his brain told him to do? So he quickly reached up to pull the man down and pressed his lips against the first area he could reach… it was payback for when he was unconscious, _asshole_.

In his mako daze, he hung onto the General's clothes to keep his balance and realized the pleasant scent in the air was coming from faint traces of the other's aftershave. Of course the General would have to smell good too. The two that had released him were now dragging the confused Cloud away from the stunned General.

"Sorry, Sirs!" they both chorused. They were supposed to be watching the blond, so it was their fault that it had happened. Deciding to run to avoid punishment, the four moved significantly faster as they tugged the two out by the arms and left the three elites behind before they could figure out what had just occurred.

_**To be continued…**_

AN: _I chose the song cause it's so dumb that I love it, and seemed to fit in with Hollander and Cloud in some weird way. XD_

_Have any questions? I might have matching answers!_

_Please review! (Criticism accepted as long as it's _constructive_…)_


	9. You're Gonna Go Far, Kid

AN: _*bows* Thank you all for the reviews/favorites/watches!_

**Ratings**, **Disclaimer**, and_** iWarnings!**_ are still the same.

**You're Gonna Go Far, Kid  
(By: The Offspring)**

**Chapter 8**

**A warm light streamed in through the window** and onto Cloud's face as whispers were heard off to his side. As he moved around in the bed he spotted two plastic cups and a couple of pills on the dresser.

"Good afternoon," a voice said from the foot of his bed, and he noticed two guys sitting on the floor with heads turned to him while the TV was playing in the background.

"What happened?" Cloud asked as he scooted back to rest against the headboard.

It was Dorian who spoke. "Something about the body accepting mako or something. I got the gist of it, but as to why you were drunk on mako and having a good time while _we_ got sick on it and _not_ having a good time still eludes me."

"You're thinking about how alcohol works, it isn't like that," Cloud said, it was a common assumption. "When alcohol gets absorbed into the body it affects the brain and causes other things. It's a toxin. When mako gets absorbed into the body then the body uses it to enhance what's already there: muscle, bones, sight… What doesn't get used gets rejected." Of course, he didn't know that the dizzy sensation would still be there. In Hojo's labs he'd been constantly in that state of mind and assumed that the Professor had given him something else besides mako.

"Then why do they call it mako poisoning?"

"Rejecting mako is stressful to the body," Cloud tried explaining. "Think of it as drinking too much of an energy drink: there's energy there, but nowhere to go. Only mako isn't stored. What doesn't get accepted becomes useless, but it refuses to stay inside. The body getting sick is one of the ways it forces itself out."

"Ooh," the other said in awe. "How did you know this stuff?"

Cloud was at a loss of what to say. '_Oh, I've had experience from getting mako poisoning before, and heard enough of what the professor said when experimenting on me to understand_' didn't seem like a good response.

"That SOLDIER guy that he was hanging out with probably told him," Dorian spoke up, referring to Zack. "You make it sound like he holds the answers to the universe or something, man." The two looked like they wanted to ask more questions that he didn't really want to answer, and thankfully the moment was ruined when the guy on the other bed started to wake up.

"Oh, my gaawd, those-unicorns-were-going-by-so-fast," Ted mumbled while looking around to get his bearings. "Where am I?"

"You're in our room," Dorian told him, "Cloud's borrowing my bed 'til he figures out which room to go to, and me and Isaac are playing Donkey Kong." Ted looked around the room curiously, and then licked his finger and stuck it in his eye.

"Oh, dude, man," Isaac complained at the visual, "that's gross." Cloud agreed.

But a contact lens was brought back with the finger and, looking around again, Ted declared, "I can see!" but winced pitifully at the noise caused from his own voice. "Is that what I think it is?" he asked as he spotted the pills laid to his right.

"Yeah," Dorian answered, "the nurse said you guys might wake up with a headache, said something about the change in the retina." Ted nodded like he was really listening while he downed the capsules.

"_Rise and shine_," someone yelled in from the doorway, causing Ted to cough up his drink. "Commander Rhapsodos and Lieutenant Hewley will be in the mess hall today! If you rookies want a taste of Banora Whites then you better head there fast!" The SOLDIER laughed at Ted's miserable appearance and ran off down the hall.

Cloud was just glad that he wasn't the only one that looked confused.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

Angeal was standing next to the crates in the SOLDIER mess hall while Genesis humored their juniors with tall tales.

The SOLDIERs gasped for breath as they tried to contain their barks of laughter, and one of the older guy asked, "What did he do after that, Genesis?"

"He charged the monster and stabbed it with his_ gigantic sword_," Genesis finished and rolled his eyes as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Innuendo was heavily laced in his story, and it made the SOLDIERs laugh even harder. Then the redhead caught movement coming in from the entrance and saw the new SOLDIER 3rds coming in. His smile took on a more sinister form as he caught the blond with them, he began another tale.

"One quick story to tell before I take my leave."

A series of 'boo's where heard in response, the SOLDIERs obviously not wanting their entertainment to go so soon, but listened to their exuberant Commander as they slowly chewed on the dumbapples. Every week Angeal and Genesis would come in with shipments of something or another and chatted amongst the lower ranks. It was difficult for newbies to grasp at first as to why their superiors were talking so easily toward them, but this feeling of familiarity worked out in the field. With them they weren't just taking orders from a stranger, they were taking orders from men they knew personally.

"During all the fights, battles, and hardships that your General Sephiroth had to bare he never lost one. _Not a one_! Sephiroth had scaled mountains in search of beasties terrorizing villages, and he came across some of the worst!" Genesis began moving around as if he were fighting the monsters and swung his arm in stabbing motions.

"Behemoths: SLASHED! Dark Dragons: shredded! Tonberries: nullified!" The Thirds were looking at him with complete admiration for their General, and his voice lowered, his movements became mellower. "But… there was one time in which your great General was defeated."

"What?" The SOLDIERs gasped. That was the first time they ever heard anything like that. From what they knew, the General had never lost a battle in his life! "Was it from a Death Gazer?"

"Or an Allemange?" They started listing off the names of strong monsters, and the young blond in back tried not to show his curiosity.

"Oh, no," Genesis continued, "the opponent was not just your average beastie. No, no, no. This opponent was _human_."

"_WHAT_?" the blond exclaimed and earned a few looks in return. "Who?"

Genesis laughed internally as he slowly walked up to the engrossed boy. The blond _really_ wanted to know.

"It was a day like any other," he continued. "The attack came suddenly, swiftly, _carefully_ as Sephiroth had – _but for a moment_! – let his guard down."

"He got attacked from behind?" one of the SOLDIERs yelled accusingly.

"Nay!" Genesis denied and swiftly went back to his slow moving journey across the floor. "He didn't. The move was stealthy and came at him right from his front…" As Genesis reached Cloud, he bent over so they were face to face and inquired. "Do you know how the attacker did it?"

The blond shook his head, and Genesis almost failed to keep his smirk at bay. It was always fun to mess with the new kids.

"First, the opponent cast Petrify to keep Angeal and me from moving. Next was Confusion, so the General thought that his opponent was safe. Then, when the General got closer, he was ruthlessly beaten down and…" Genesis slowly raised a hand to poke the smaller one's nose, "_kissed_."

The boy's blue eyes grew horrifyingly wide as his brain finally caught on to the events from earlier. It always did take a little help to do so after the first mako dosage. Genesis thought he'd given the story enough of a dramatic pause while the soft chuckles from the others died down.

"And that's when he abandoned Angeal and me! He ran all the way home _frightened_!" he finished his story, sounding as if telling it caused him distress. The SOLDIERs burst out laughing.

For the rest of the duration the silent blond was seen mulling in the corner and Genesis had a good idea as to why, but it also sprung up another question. Most boys his age had what seemed like a man-crush on the General, but this kid marched right up to Sephiroth like he was an equal. Genesis had never known anyone to lie while experiencing their first mako-boost. The 'I hate you, I like you' signs he'd given off were odd, like an oxymoron.

The redhead looked to his left to see Angeal talking to two of the new SOLDIER 3rds. The older male was stating that they might be better suited for the buster sword and was implying that there might be a spot open to mentor one of them.

Genesis shook his head in sympathy. He was certain that Zack would pass, but once the other comes back home to see Angeal with a new student then he'd probably be heartbroken. Genesis was no idiot. He knew the signs when he saw them, and by the looks of adoration that Zack was throwing Angeal's way the young man had been smitten with his mentor since the start of the program. No, when Zack comes back there wouldn't be any cause for celebration, not in his mind.

The Commander gave another look to the gloomy blond and decided to make his way over.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

Cloud was perched on one of the benches while the others were chatting amongst themselves. He had some type of nasty looking fruit that he was half tempted to try in one hand while he rested his chin in the other. It was fine. He felt fine. Everything was just _fine_. It didn't matter that the world was probably going to go to hell again anyways. For some reason the General had it out for him and if Cloud messed this up then he doubted that he'd be able to make a last attempt to avert the crisis. He didn't know what problem the other had with him before, and as far as he recalled they'd never met until he became a foot soldier. It would have been best to just stay out of the General's way until he got the enhancements, but what does he do? He kisses the man in a moment of stupidity! If that didn't call to be impaled by Masamune then he didn't know what did.

But even if Sephiroth wasn't insane yet, Cloud still had to stop him… right? The Nibelheim incident was just a few months away. The call of his name pulled himself out of his thoughts and he looked up to see the Commander beside him.

"I was wondering if there was any way I could change your mind about taking the buster sword," Rhapsodos spoke as he took a seat.

"But I want that sword," Cloud replied and hoped the other wouldn't press the issue any further. Yes, he knew that he should have picked a lighter, smaller weapon, but he was used to what he had. He was comfortable fighting with it and learning a new weapon would take up too much time.

"So I've noticed," the Commander said dryly, "but with your build I assure you that you'd be better off with something like the rapier or say… the katana."

Cloud wanted to laugh. The way the other tried to make the sales pitch was hardly subtle, but the katana would have been a good option if he hadn't been already dead set against it. "No thanks, I take the buster sword."

"Why? Is it because you want to set yourself apart from the others?"

If only it were as easy as that... is what he wanted to say, but instead Cloud shook his head and replied, "None of them should have chosen the katana." '_Because when Sephiroth goes crazy they'll realize that he never was the good guy, and they'll wish that they'd spent their time learning something else…'_

The Commander let out a frustrated breath and Cloud knew why. The man was just trying to do his job at helping him with his skill, but also knew that if Cloud could tell that the others weren't suited for their choices then why couldn't he? Well, if he planned to stay in Shinra then he'd probably pick up a regular sword, or maybe pick up the skill that Lord Godo's guards used and practice at duel wielding short swords. He could see himself with that… but no, after all of this mess gets fixed he's going to quit Shinra, head home, and pick up a normal civilian job.

They both looked up as they heard the clacking of heels on the floor, and the mess hall went dead quiet as a blonde woman strode in. Her hair was up in a messy bun and her make-up appeared classy... though, her dress was anything but. The red cloth had a much too low V cut on the chest and its open back left nothing to the imagination. Most of the boys in the room still had raging hormones and by their wide eyes and drooling mouths you could tell who they were going to be dreaming about tonight, but much to all their disappointment she walked passed them and went to the Commander. Though she had so much attention from the other males, Cloud didn't want to be near her.

"Scarlet," Cloud looked up at her with a frown. He hadn't forgotten about what she had done to the planet. He hated her, but right now she was just another pawn being used by Shinra. He could feel questioning eyes on the back of his head, probably Rhapsodos wondering how he knew her name.

The woman looked haughty as she stood in front of them. "_Cloud_, I've heard so much about you," she said as she sat between them.

Blue eyes widened even more. "It's not true!" he quickly denied as thoughts of certain rumors between Sephiroth and he came to mind.

"So you're not an aspiring SOLDIER that might make First Class someday?" she asked, giving a raised eyebrow in response.

"Oh, that," Cloud looked back down to his Banora White. "Yes, I plan to… someday." Someday soon.

"Unfortunately he can't," Rhapsodos interrupted.

"What, why?" Cloud looked back at the man. If he had gotten the strength to take down other First Class SOLDIERs then surely he could get it again.

"Yes, whate_ver_ do you mean, Genesis?" Scarlet smirked as she narrowed her eyes.

"Though Strife has a good reaction to mako and will most likely make Second Class, I doubt it's enough to get him into First," Rhapsodos responded, the man seemed tense. Cloud assumed it was because the Commander didn't like her either.

"Aren't there… any other enhancements then besides mako?" he asked tentatively. Cloud knew there would be soon, founded by Hojo, but he didn't know if the professor had already discovered it or if it was found after the crisis.

"None."

"There is one," Scarlet swiftly spoke up and they now knew why she came here. She was looking for guinea pigs for the scientists and found what looked like the runt of the litter: Cloud. What he didn't know was why she'd come to speak with him herself. She must have some lackeys somewhere to do her dirty work for her. "Some of the scientists are working on a new mako, one that's easier for the body to accept."

"One that's probably unsafe, I'm sure," Rhapsodos commented, and the subtle way that the man was telling Cloud that her ideas were bad news had earned a bit more of his trust. Any man who didn't like certain corrupted employees and tried to keep their men safe couldn't be all bad, right?

"It's completely safe," she said and even though she was speaking to Genesis, Cloud got the feeling this conversation was pointed directly to him. "As a matter of fact they've been giving it to General Sephiroth for some time now."

'_They've been giving Sephiroth experimental shots?_' Cloud thought with dread. "Why are they giving it to Sephiroth?" He immediately gave himself a mental kick for not adding the General's title when the Commander glanced his way.

"Oh," the woman waved off, "to help make his system fight off certain things… such as spells. Magic won't hit him as hard and it should also ward off things like Confusion, Poison-" Now Cloud understood why the other was always immune to Status Effects.

"Who's doing the procedure?" he interrupted.

Scarlet paused for a moment while her gaze flicked to the Commander. "Professor Slarky is," she answered, and the name seemed to ring a bell._ 'Professor Slarky… where have I heard that name before?_'

"Isn't she a nurse?" the Commander bluntly asked and Cloud remembered that she was the one who'd given the test shots.

"She still is, but I assure you that it won't be long until she has a lab of her own," Scarlet smiled.

"Let me rephrase," the man growled, "isn't she a nurse working under _Hojo_?"

"Not everyone that works under Hojo _is_ Hojo. She has her own ideals and dreams for the future of science!"

Genesis looked to kill. "And she also follows Hojo around like he's a _God_ of it!"

"You're forgetting just who you're talking to, _Commander_!" Scarlet got up from her seat and eyed the redhead down. "In Shinra _I_ am _your_ superior, and you will not speak to me in that tone. If I decide that one of your boys is worthy enough for different enhancements then he'll be under my charge."

"And you're forgetting something, Madam Scarlet," the Commander spoke evenly as he stood more than a head taller to her. "You have no authority over _my_ squadron, and if he so happens to refuse your offer then you'll have no say over what he does."

It appeared Scarlet was beat, and with a final word she looked to Cloud. "Think about it," she told him as she sent a glare back to the Commander, and then turned to leave. Rhapsodos just sat back down and began grumbling about evil dragons.

Cloud was fully aware of why Scarlet came to him. The woman needed test subjects for her favorite little scientist in training. The only problem was... it was working. Why kid himself? He knew that he'd never get as strong as he was before Nibelheim. Hell, the only reason why he could put up a fight with the insane General from back then was because of Hojo's treatments, and he'd been under them for five _years_! Maybe, if he had time training in SOLDIER, he could one day get close, but time was what he didn't have. The offer was tempting, but how weak was he right now? Once Second Class, he'd get new shots on top of those that he'll soon be getting, and possibly more of a power-up if he decided to go along with the experimental ones.

"How do I get into Second Class?" he asked quietly to bring the Commander out from his musings.

"There's the test you must do," the redhead answered, "though it's not anything like the Third tests. You need to be able to take a certain amount of mako… since unenhanced strength only goes so far, and they check to see your skills at handling your weapon. If you do well in both those areas then you'll be promoted."

Cloud studied the other as an idea formed. He was certain that the Commander wasn't too far away in strength compared to Sephiroth, so he could measure how much work he'd still need to do from there. Plus, he'd be able to make Second from just being mako tolerant, and this would prove he had the skill. It was like hitting two birds with one stone.

So Cloud looked right into the Commander's eyes and requested, "Fight me."

"Excuse me?"

"I want to fight you. You said that I'm mako tolerant and just need to prove my skill with a weapon," Cloud reasoned, his uneaten fruit long forgotten.

The redhead only smiled down, "My apologies, but I don't fight kids. Especially kids with no experience."

"I have experience!" he exclaimed.

"How old are you?" Genesis asked in good humor, but Cloud frowned. Age shouldn't have been an issue since he was old enough to enter Shinra anyways.

"I'm 17!"

Rhapsodos barked out a laugh. "No, Strife, how old are you _really_?"

"I'm 17." There wasn't an issue… the Commander thought he was _underage_. Annoyed, Cloud glared. He wasn't lying, his height just made him seem younger. "When is the test for SOLDIER Second?"

"It's whenever the person is ready. Only the Third and First tests are calendared and in groups."

"I know how to fight," he repeated. "Just let me prove to you that I can!"

"Why are you so persistent in asking me?" Rhapsodos wondered.

"You told Scarlet that this was your squad while you two were talking about me. I assume I'm under your authority."

Genesis took a deep breath and brought a gloved hand up to his mouth as he contemplated on his answer. "How about this: go to the gym, state your case to a SOLDIER, First or Second Class, and have them spar with you. Have them tell me if they think you're ready for it."

"Anytime?" Cloud questioned.

"Anytime," he confirmed, but then frowned as the other got up and left the cafeteria. When Genesis said anytime, he didn't mean it as in _now_. He didn't give the others any warning that some green kid was out to fight them. The Commander decided to follow; it wouldn't do well if the one Cloud did choose decided to go easy on him.

"Commander, wait up!" a SOLDIER 2nd waved and began running his way. Genesis looked back down the hall, but the blond was nowhere in sight. It didn't matter… he'd catch up soon.

_**To be continued…**_

AN: _Apologies if I'm not going into enough detail with the OCs. I didn't originally plan to keep them after the exams, but the ideas on how SOLDIER perks worked made them sorta sift in there.  
Yes, I do hate contacts. I hated it when my sister stuck them in her eyes and took them out the same way. It… it just… oh, God, the mental trauma. I just… couldn't… do it. GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM MY EYE! *runs off crying*  
Cloud's age is changed from the game, I know._

_Have any questions? I might have matching answers!_

_Please review! (Criticism accepted as long as it's _constructive_…)_


	10. Breathe

AN: *_bows* Thank you all for the reviews/favorites/watches!_

**Ratings**, **Disclaimer**, and _**iWarning**_**!** are still the same.

**Breathe  
(By: Sugar Ray)**

**Chapter 9**

**The sounds reverberating **off of the punching bag molded in with the rest of the noise in the busy gym as fists pummeled the casing. Sephiroth had been there ever since Angeal and Genesis went to eat in the cafeteria. He didn't dare follow; he liked eating _without_ the gaze of the entire room upon him. The Firsts kept glancing over his way while comparing him to a machine, but that could be ignored… for now. He needed this... the physical feeling of one force colliding with another... the kinetic energy being transferred from his fist into a solid mass. Not only because of the blonds' actions from their earlier encounter, but because of what Genesis had said to Angeal in their departure from watching the younger men choose their weapons.

"_They'll be good SOLDIERs, they're loyal."_

Loyal… _loyal_? Sephiroth drove his elbow into the bag for good measure as a Shinra policy popped into his head; _In the event should an officer stray and turn against the company, rank and privileges shall be stripped and the offender will be brought forth in front of the Board of Directors_.

It was written crystal clear, and there wasn't even a _government_ trial! He'd never been given the option of negotiating since the beginning. Cloud had only given a moment to take in the situation and any thoughts of loyalty had fled from that blond head of his. The only thing _Cloud_ had done was drive a _sword_ through his gut!

But, of course, it wouldn't be a surprise if the traitor stayed loyal to _Genesis._

Sephiroth stopped his motions as a bead of sweat formed near his hairline. Angeal was right, he wasn't acting like himself. He was stressing too much over insignificant things and it was affecting his actions. He took off the white bandages protecting his knuckles and wiped the perspiration from his brow. Maybe a vacation was needed? Sephiroth smirked as the idea of going to Nibelheim came to mind. Cloud would probably have a heart attack if rumor got out that the General was on his way there.

"Please, just one fight!" Came a familiar voice in the background. Sure enough, it was the object plaguing his thoughts. Cloud was talking to one of the SOLDIERs and, from the gist of the conversation, the other male was the third person that had turned down the blond's request for a duel. The other was so focused on trying to find another person that Sephiroth's presence had gone unnoticed as he walked up from behind.

"_Cloud_," Sephiroth grinned as the blond jumped and turned to him. "I couldn't help but overhear that you're looking for a sparring partner. May I ask why that is?"

"I was told by Commander Rhapsodos that if I can get a First or Second Class SOLDIER to agree that I'm good, then he would allow me to take the test." Cloud's face colored from blurting out the information and held his jaw tight.

Sephiroth frowned as the smaller male fidgeted under his gaze. So Cloud _was_ using Genesis to get to First Class. It was time to see what the blond could do while unenhanced… and maybe he could knock that pride down a peg or two while he was at it. He turned to the rack and grabbed two bracers.

"Put that on," Sephiroth ordered and threw one in Cloud's direction.

"Sir," the SOLDIER 1st was looking at the two of them worriedly, "I don't think it would be a good idea for me to fight him. I heard he just turned Third Class."

Sephiroth looked at the First and blandly replied, "This other one isn't for you. It's for me."

"Huh?" the two young SOLDIERs echoed each other.

Sephiroth smirked and attached the dull item. "The bracer I gave him improves speed and strength. It will be as if he has the enhancements of a Third Class instead of just his tested shot. This bracer," he held up his wrist to show, "is only used for healers. It cuts strength, speed, and anything needed for offence by more than half. In return it guards against any ailment that you can imagine."

As they both went to an open area of the gym, Sephiroth kept his eyes on his opponent while he wondered what was going on in the blonds' head.

Though he believed the way that Cloud was getting stronger was underhanded, Sephiroth couldn't wait until the other was as strong as before. That way he could have someone to truly go up against instead of using Angeal and Genesis in their two vs. one mock battles.

The memories of those battles excited him, it was something to look forward to in this mess of monotony. He leaned over toward Cloud so that only he could hear him.

"Don't think I'm on your level just because my power has been reduced," he warned. "I'm still fighting as a SOLDIER First Class."

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

'_Shit.'_ Cloud thought. His spur of the moment plan had gone to hell, but then the General continued with a smile.

"So I suggest that you don't get ahead of yourself or the next time we meet will be in Nibelheim."

'_Nibelheim? He knows?'_ Cloud looked straight into the other's green eyes as his gut felt like it just plummeted a mile into the earth. That confirmed his question earlier on if the General could have possibly gone back in time with him. He didn't mishear anything, but the taunt was also a warning. If Cloud attacked to kill then he'd be discharged so fast it would make his head spin, and Sephiroth was still planning to go and recreate the madness!

The General walked to where his Masamune was, picked it up, and went into stance. Cloud remained still. It didn't matter that there was a small group of SOLDIERs watching the performance, because they wouldn't understand the reason as to why he was paralyzed in front of their superior. Not once did his eyes leave the tall figure as he slowly reached around for the old, worn out weapon on his back, and he could feel his hands shaking as he gripped the hilt.

"Come, _Cloud_," Sephiroth said and gave a malicious smile.

The fight had just begun.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

Sephiroth smiled with all the wickedness he could muster. Cloud's face was white. It was _humorous_, it was entertainment. Apparently some of the other SOLDIERs thought it was funny too, seeing as how they had their phones pulled out and began recording the fight.

During their stare-off, one of the Firsts ordered a Second to go find the Commander or Lieutenant, and the other quickly ran out the door. He didn't care. The battle would be long since finished before either of them were found.

Sephiroth's eyes were trained on the form in front of him, Masamune raised in preparation. Cloud held Shinra's poorly crafted weapon as he took a stance, hands tightly gripping his sword.

"Are you going to attack, or should I give you more incentive?" Sephiroth taunted and hoped the other took the bait. He wasn't disappointed.

Cloud pitched himself forward and Sephiroth blocked the first swing, and as the weapons connected the blond jumped away and immediately went back into a beginner's fighting stance. The two of them circled each other, testing the waters.

After Sephiroth blocked another attack, the blond didn't try to get distance again, but instead twisted the blade around to try and get in a few more swings. The swords clashed together in a swift dance as he easily blocked with Masamune, and Cloud jumped back again. The other didn't seem too perturbed that his swings weren't connecting, but instead charged back in and started swinging furiously with greater strength and speed.

That's when Sephiroth remembered that the blond had just gotten the sword only hours ago. Cloud was testing its hold and balance _in_ battle, and he almost grinned with pleasure. Their swords came together in a series of blocks and strikes. A few times he parried and every so often he sent out a strike for Cloud to dodge. It was all too easy, and the speed of the fight had begun to pick up as the other got used to the weapon.

Sephiroth allowed Cloud to set the pace of the fight. On this turn, the blond backed up and completely changed hold over the weapon. He grinning, instantly recognizing the pose. It was a preparation for a limit break, and he dropped to one knee to lessen the damaged.

"_BRAVER_!"

Yet nothing happened…

Sephiroth caught his momentary lapse in judgment, but soon the blond was at his side and swinging the mass of metal to cut at his unprotected back. He had to force his body to twist to the side while he brought up Masamune to ward off the strike, and the crash of metal grinding against metal sent sparks in the air.

Cloud used the momentum of the glancing blow to twist his lithe body and force the blade to come spinning back around.

Sephiroth barely had time to scramble from his awkward position and dodge as the thick weapon pierced the flooring that he'd occupied only moments before.

The other SOLDIERs in the background were forgotten by the two of them, but the group was getting antsy and wondered if now would be a good time to stop the battle. Their General and this new SOLDIER were getting a little more into it then normal, but what they feared for the most was the gym's floors. This wasn't the training room, after all.

When Sephiroth got back to his feet, he looked over to the smirking blond and grinned in turn as he realized he'd just been psyched. Of course Cloud wouldn't have the strength for a Limit Break yet. SOLDIERs developed those skills as First or Second Class and were only able to do so with high dosages of mako. Though, he had to give props, it was an interesting way to make an opening.

The two of them were back to where they had started from, but it was obvious that the unenhanced SOLDIER was beginning to tire. Their swords were raised as they waited for an opening. They both simultaneously charged forward as swords struck again.

'_It would be so easy_.' Sephiroth thought as he kept the pace his opponent could handle. '_It would be so easy to just…'_ Cloud overstepped and lost his balance. '_Kill him_.' Before he could stop his movements, Masamune had already changed direction and was heading for his opponent's unguarded neck.

The blond gasped as he realized his careless mistake and tried to bring the broadsword up in an attempt to block the oncoming blow, but it was too slow.

Red sparks flew from where Masamune was forced into contact with a rapier, forcing the battle to a halt. A different set of eyes glared at him from beneath red hair, and Sephiroth stepped back to confirm that the fight was over.

"I hope there's an explanation for this," Genesis growled as he looked back and forth between them.

"Did you not give Strife permission to battle?" Sephiroth asked. It would be an issue if the blond had also lied.

"That I have, but I wasn't talking about the fight itself, _General_," Genesis continued in a low, displeased tone. Angeal and a SOLDIER, who had left previously, chose that moment to be the next to come rushing into the gym.

"What's going on? I heard there was trouble in here," Angeal asked, but he could already take a guess as to what had happened from the scene. The blond was equipped with an enhancement bracer while Sephiroth had on battle support, and Genesis was standing in the middle, seemingly protecting the said fallen boy.

"Let's discuss this elsewhere," Genesis said, focusing his tone on Sephiroth. "Office. You too, Blondie."

Cloud got up, lowering his head as he followed his superiors out of the door. The other SOLDIERs in the gym could only look at the hole from where the blond had driven his sword in. The fight wasn't as fast paced as a First could make it, but still… they had never seen a duel quite like that before. They couldn't believe that it had only been just a spar.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

***Nibelheim***

Complete and utter silence was the only thing Vincent wished for while he slept in his coffin. This repentance was as much for himself as it was for Lucrecia and everyone else that had gotten involved. He wasn't strong enough to stop one single man, and they had died for it. This was now the only thing he could do, so it was the only thing he would do until his life faded away… to sleep until it became eternal.

The golden claw on his left arm still felt foreign to him, even after all this time spent from being surgically graphed onto his arm, and he tried to keep it as close to the side of the coffin's wall as possible. The cold metal only served as another reminder of his burden… just like the demons inside his head.

In the beginning they had frightened him, tortured his thoughts with horrible visions and sent nightmares into his dreams, but after so many years of silence they had learned that he would not move from this place. Yet every now and then, much to his annoyance, they'd chatter amongst themselves in their own bestial language and bring him out of his precious slumber… much like now.

"There's movement! There's movement-movement-_MOVEMENT_!" Galian sung out and hopped around in the unseen corners of his mind. He could swear that he could almost feel the dog's drool being splattered around as it did a frenzied dance of joy. Vincent had to concentrate so he didn't lose control as the excitement of the demon threatened to take over and posses him.

"_Vincent! Vincent_!" it happily taunted, but suddenly turned deep and sinister. "_**There's movement."**_

His eyes shot open as he gasped when the heavy voice felt like it had been spoken directly into his ear. His vision veered toward the spot where it seemed to have come from. To say that he was surprised when he didn't find anything there would have been a lie. Nothing was there, not physically, nothing was _ever_ there. Yet the demon was there… watching him from every corner inside his head, and its earlier giddiness had left as a cold, bloodthirsty hunger took its place.

Vincent closed his eyes and tried to go back to sleep, though he doubted that he'd ever rid himself of the inner terrors that seemed to lurk in the dark.

This was his atonement.

Soon the squeaking from the stairs came into his range of hearing, and the quiet voices of trespassers were headed in his direction. He could hear a young boy telling a story about the mansion.

"Shut up! There's no such thing as ghosts!" a girl whispered aloud, and Vincent could almost laugh. If she didn't believe in ghosts then why was she trying to be as quiet as the rest of them? Somehow they had gotten inside his room, and he silently prayed they would leave before they found him. It would not only cause the town panic, but he didn't want to go find another sanctuary to repent.

He wanted to keep quiet, planned to, but for some reason his head had begun to spin and he groaned as light crept in around him. The demons were confused as well and let their instincts take over as viscous snarls came from their mouths. They didn't know what was going on either.

A new fear came at the thought of having another demon materialize inside his head, and that it was taking control. His eyes rolled to the back of his head and Vincent slept peacefully once more.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*

_~Before Time-lapse~_

_The three warriors jumped across the debris from the collapsing Shinra building. Vincent shot at Sephiroth as Cloud hopped from stone to stone, and the tainted mako streamed from their bodies as it rained down from the pipes. Vincent tried to find solid footing from the crumbling walls, but they all were speedily plummeting to the ground. Jumping from object to object was the only way to make sure they wouldn't die from the impact._

_Vincent kept firing in hopes to draw the silver-haired man's attention, but one flick of the sword easily deflected his bullet. His tattered cape was on its last thread, and his dark hair obscured his vision as it flew around untamed._

_They were almost to the ground. Vincent felt that he should jump up to another spot so he wouldn't land too hard and immobilize himself, but their opponent landed first and used a freefalling pole as a distance weapon._

_By the time he realized he had to dodge, it was over. The attack was too quick to move away from, and the metal went through his chest. The force of the blow sent him falling. The attack had just barely missed his heart, but the wound was fatal and caused so much pain._

_Vincent gasped for breath as he felt himself choking on his own blood. He wasn't sure if he'd lost consciousness, but he opened his eyes and suddenly there was an unknown Materia by his hand. At least it should be his hand, as it was attached to him… but the limb was completely numb. It was cruel to have something so close to him that he couldn't reach only because he couldn't move … couldn't feel. He was paralyzed. All he could do was gaze at the glowing orb with wanton eyes._

_The two other warriors were diving for it, and if only he could move then it wouldn't have to be such a close call. The orb was not even an inch away from his fingers. His lungs were already collapsing. He could feel it as his heart began to slow and his vision faded._

_Vincent saw two hands reach out to grab it, but as far as he could tell neither did. The Materia seemed to have activated on its own and a warm light burst from the orb._

*0~0*0~0*0~0*

~Present~

"Tifa!" a boy cried out… it sounded different from the one from earlier. "Those are fricken coffins! Let's go back, _please_!"

The demons inside of Vincent panicked and bucked as they tore up their imaginary grounds, and he quickly sat up before his brain had a chance to figure out where he was at.

"Ow!" Vincent yelped, his head smacking into the coffin's lid, and he fell back down to his laying position. The gunman violently shoved the lid open while the kids began screaming and running back up the stairs.

The demons were frenzied, whatever had happened was done to them too, and just like the beasts they were they threatened a violent death to anything within range. The ruckus and noise were straining his mind. He brought up his flesh arm to his forehead and rubbed the sore spot he'd created upon awakening.

"Enough!" Vincent tried to command, but the paranoid beasts were too far gone to listen.

What was worse was that they were making his head spin. Vincent gave up any other attempts to try and calm them. His vision crossed, his stomach began to turn, and he quickly stumbled out of his box and retched on the floor. The smell was pungent, but he didn't care about that so much as to the pain the demons were causing. All he could do was gag from the nausea and wait until they stopped.

They settled down when they finally felt like they had scared away the threat, thought they seemed to still be on the alert. He slowly got up, using the coffin to brace himself. He had to find out what happened.

_**To be continued…**_

AN:_ To all of you who love Vincent - I adore him, and I absolutely love how people make his waking up all epic! _BUT_… I decided to do something a little different then the norm again. I hope you guys enjoyed watching Vincent doing an epic waking fail! XD_

_Have any questions? I might have matching answers!_

_Please Review! (Criticism accepted as long as it's_ constructive...)


	11. Fieber

AN: _*bows*Thank you for all the reviews/favorites/watches._ _Please Enjoy~_

**Ratings**, **Disclaimer**, and _**iWarning**_**!** are still the same.

**Fieber  
(By: Oomph!)**

**Chapter 10**

**The secretaries watched** **with fleeting interest** as the famous trio escorted a small blond through the aisles. They were amused, and their fake pitying glances didn't even remotely hide the smiles from their faces. Angeal's PHS went off by the time the four came to a quieter area, and he separated from the group to take a look at the message while Genesis spoke to the secretary working at her desk. The woman gave each of them a look before she buzzed them in, and Genesis took the initiative to go through the doors first.

The office was grand; the marble flooring shone as if it was just waxed, white hand-made drapes hung from the large windows, and expensive white oak framed the steal-gray walls. It was all things that Sephiroth had seen on a daily basis, and instead he kept his attention on the bickering pair that they interrupted upon coming into the room.

"Shit," Genesis murmured. The redhead was about to close the door and pretend like they never there, but the fatter man noticed the younger Shinra's distraction and turned to face them.

"Bad timing on our part," Angeal mumbled as Heidegger unleashed a disturbing smile.

"Ah! We were just talking about you!" Heidegger exclaimed, referring to Genesis as the four ventured further into the office.

"I'm sure."

Heidegger accented his words with constant movement. "If you're not busy right now I would like to speak with you and Mr. Shinra regarding private matters, General Sephiroth too."

"If it's about the promotions, then my decision stands," the Commander spoke. "Those that have not passed the test were deemed either not physically capable or not mentally responsible enough."

By the look on Heidegger's face, it appeared Genesis hit the nail on the head. The man eyed the redhead down while trying to keep an air of superiority. Then he noticed Cloud hiding behind the three. "What's that kid doing in Mr. Shinra's office?"

"Mr. Heidegger," Rufus said warningly, "if you would be so kind as to leave, I would like to begin my meeting with these four in private."

Genesis grinned at the hefty man and was about to continue Shinra's lie on having this all planned, but was interrupted as a Turk came into the office. The man quickly took in the scene of the room before he gave a small bow and greeted. "Sir."

Heidegger scoffed at the Turk and mumbled loudly enough for them all to hear, "I've never been into an office with such a blatant lack of respect _in all my life_."

"Does everyone just come into your office uninvited?" Cloud said aloud.

Rufus and the Turk gave twin smirks, and the office doors burst open once again. A different woman came in carrying a tray of fine Wutai dishes. She looked around the room and blushed.

"Oh, please forgive my intrusion!"

"It's quite alright, he just left," Rufus informed.

She nodded in understanding, but the bright red color never left her face. "Do you want me to go fix you some tea?"

Cloud studied the decanter placed in the center of the tray. If not tea already, then what was in it? It certainly didn't smell like coffee…

Rufus declined and the woman and Turk silently left with a bow. Then they got down to business.

"My apologies," Rufus said to the four of them, "but I prefer to be interrupted as much as possible when concerning the presence of certain people."

"Quite understandable," Genesis responded.

"What is it that you wish to discuss with me?" Rufus started the conversation while shuffling files around.

"I would like to put the promotion of Cloud Strife into consideration."

"What?" Angeal gawked while both Sephiroth and Cloud mimicked him. It wasn't something that they were expecting to come out of the Commander's mouth. Rufus calmly looked up from his desk and glanced between the redhead and Cloud.

"Isn't he the one that was recently promoted to Third? You want him to skip training and move him up to Second?" Rufus questioned.

"I witnessed most of the duel. Though there were some sloppy movements-" Sephiroth smirked as Cloud threw Genesis an offended look "-the overall performance was one that a ranked Third should be. He has good timing, good instincts, and his ability to take in mako is above average."

Angeal hesitated for a moment before giving his own thoughts on the matter. "One of the SOLDIERs recorded the spar and sent it to me on the PHS. The movements were good. I hold no disagreements."

Sephiroth wanted to voice his distaste for the proposition aloud, but couldn't because it would cause unwanted questions. "Surely he's not old enough," he said. It was the first plausible thing he could think of to end the unmerited promotion there.

"He's seventeen." "I'm seventeen." Genesis and Cloud echoed, and Sephiroth raised an eyebrow to the glaring blond.

"Late growth spurt," Cloud growled, turning his attention to the ground when their eyes met.

"He doesn't have any of the experience that the promotion requires," Sephiroth then added, the other couldn't possibly obtain what wasn't earned, and the military would never give out ranks unfairly.

"That's all easily fixable," Rufus replied. "Heidegger just came down to see me about a mission especially requested for you, General. I believe he could be sent with you as a SOLDIER 3rd Class." Before either had a chance to decline, the younger Shinra was already typing away on his computer. "I've just sent the files to Lazard. Speak with him to confirm the date, level, and situation."

Genesis gave a fake sugary-coated smile to Angeal. "And since Strife has decided to take up the broadsword, I guess you'll have a new prodigy."

Sephiroth and Angeal both frowned at the redhead for different reasons, and Cloud scratched the back of his neck. "I guess… if that would be alright with you, Sir."

Angeal sighed as he critiqued the blonds' frame once more. "Well, you weren't my first pick, but seeing as how my previous offer was declined in preference for the katana … Are you sure you don't want the rapier?"

"I prefer the buster," the boy replied and Sephiroth rolled his eyes. Of course Cloud would want to fight with a weapon that he was already well practiced in. That way the blond could make himself _seem_ like brilliant fighter, rather than take the time to learn a more suitable one.

After a few moments of silence from the group, Rufus asked if they needed anything more from him.

"No," Genesis said. "Well, actually, you might want to inform the janitor that there's some light damage to the gym."

Rufus nodded and continued on with his work.

"And, Cloud," the redhead continued, giving a sudden glare, "you have litter duty on the outskirts of Junon for a month, starting from when you get back from your mission."

Cloud's jaw dropped at the punishment. Of course he'd been expecting it, but the sudden promotion made him momentarily forget the damage he caused to the gym. As they made it out the door, a sudden question came to his mind and he looked back to Rufus. "Where will the mission be?"

Shinra paused in sifting through more files to remember the name of the town.

"Nibelheim…"

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

The test for SOLDIER 1st was over and the sun was past its zenith when Zack finally got back to the apartment. He couldn't wait to tell Angeal that he'd passed! Fumbling with the keys, he managed to slip them in and lightly kicked the door open. The wooden frame might have been secure in appearance, but if the safety lock wasn't in use then someone could literally kick the door right open… like he just did. Though it was fun, Angeal should really consider investing in a new door.

"Angeal!" Zack called out to the silent room as he took off his boots. "Angeal, you home?" When it didn't seem like anyone would answer, Zack shrugged and bound up the stairs to get out of his grungy uniform.

'_Maybe he's gonna be late. I should give him a call and let him know I'm home_.' He thought as he took out his PHS and dialed the number. He waited as it rang, and frowned when on the fifth chime it switched to voice mail.

"_Hello, this is Angeal speaking. I'm not available right now so leave a message after the beep_."

Why would Angeal switch it while he was calling? He could be in a meeting, he realized. "Hey, Angeal, it's Zack! Just calling to let you know my tests are done and I made it home. Bye!"

He snapped his PHS shut and slipped it back into its holder.

All of the First Class SOLDIERs were allowed to live in the apartments, and there was so much space inside that having a roommate didn't feel cramped. Being a Second Class, Zack could only stay here because he was in the mentor program, but now that he was considered a First he could start pitching in for his share of the rent. He figured that it'd be cool to keep his room here, Angeal probably wouldn't mind, thought he still had to ask. The man was such an easy person to get along with: nice, smart, funny, relaxed... Zack smiled at the thought of actually being able to live with his mentor instead of just staying with him.

He paused when he reached his room, noticing that the door was ajar, which was odd because it was always kept closed. He put his hand on the wood and slowly pushed it open, and for a moment Zack wished he hadn't come home so early.

Honestly, it would have probably been better to come home and see the house robbed to the point that whatever wasn't screwed down was stolen... because this was so much worse. All of his things were packed up in neat boxes and ready to go as they waited there for him on the floor. Zack dropped his bag and allowed the ground to support its weight.

It had never occurred to him that Angeal wouldn't want him to stay, and he realized that lack of insight was complete ignorance because the other was not only a Lieutenant but also stayed as a mentor like it was a second job. But Zack just… he couldn't believe that… so soon, and even without a 'congratulations'.

"Hey, Zack, you done in there yet?" came a call in from outside. His friends were going to take him into the city and celebrate his promotion.

Zack's throat had suddenly become tight, but he sucked it up and hoped that it didn't affect his voice as he hollered back at them. "Yeah, just about! Give me a few, ok?"

Maybe he wasn't Turkish enough to instantly figure it out by the phone call, but he wasn't dumb enough to not understand a gesture like this.

He understood. He'd move his things out once he got back.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

***Midgar - Slums***

Aerith leisurely moved the soil underneath her fingers as she lightly packed the plant back into the ground. Some people would call her strange for trying to save a weed, but it was one of the few earthly things living in this area of the world. To her it meant that Gaia had not yet abandoned this place… the people, which had been harming it. After her work was complete, she got up and rubbed her hands together in attempt to rid them of the dirt.

Out in the distance a breeze picked up, and with all her time spent in the still air of the slums Aerith would have considered the polluted air almost refreshing if it weren't for the plastic bags it carried. It was hard to think about, but in a few more years she might believing that _any_ breeze, containing anything or not, would be pleasant. She frowned at her train of thought... she didn't want to live here long enough to get used to that sort of thing.

The brunette reached down to pick up her basket of fresh breads to take home. She couldn't wait to tell her mother… well, foster mother, what she had found today. Taking a deep breath, her mind drifted off again and lightly felt the lifestream. It was something that she could do ever since she was a child, though she hadn't told anybody about it except her mother, who warned that telling the wrong people could be dangerous.

Which, speaking of her mother…

"Oh, no! I forgot to get the wine!" Aerith complained aloud and looked up at the sky. It would be dark by the time she got back to the bar, and probably around midnight when she'd be back home. Aerith thought twice about going back to the slums, but strangely enough the area wasn't that much worse than in the daylight. The only real difference was that most of the pickpockets were already in bed.

She did promise that she'd pick them up on her way to the markets…

Aerith gave an exaggerated sigh as she marched back into the slums and to the bar. It was her new mission: Get the Wine and Bring It Back to Mother.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

***Junon***

Sephiroth continued to grin at Cloud long after the four of them had left the office, and he knew (by the occasional muscle spasms) that it was bugging the blond. He was basking in the victory of getting yet another one-up on the warrior in front of him, and he didn't care about paying attention to the two others arguing ahead.

Let Cloud use whatever means possible to get stronger, Sephiroth didn't care. Let the other use whatever weapon necessary to fight suitably, he wouldn't complain. Sephiroth always had the element of fear and, by the look in Cloud's eyes, it was still working.

Nibelheim; it was such a simple weakness that Cloud had, and the timing was too perfect because the other was still too weak to defend it!

Did Sephiroth really want to burn the small town, destroy the world, and kill the one in front of him again? No, but the idea that he _did_ was running through Cloud's mind, and who was he to inform him differently? Sephiroth flipped open his PHS as it went off, skimmed its information, and went down to where the date was located.

"It appears," he spoke while the blond twitched from just hearing his voice, "that we are heading out in a week. I'm going to… _enjoy_ working with you, _Cloud_."

Sephiroth flipped the device shut and walked away from the pale face. It was one of the few times that he had to fight in order to hold in his laughter. Only he didn't realize just how his laughter would have sounded if not contained…

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

"We're headed this way," the Lieutenant called out as Cloud watched Sephiroth disappear behind the corner. Only when the silver hair was no longer visible did he allow his attention to be redirected.

"Uh, yeah. Ok," Cloud replied and followed. First Sephiroth, then the tests, now litterduty. He glowered as he fought off the urge to drag his feet. Would his punishment even matter after the mission to Nibelheim? Would he even be alive, or…

He frowned as another thought came to him. '_Wait a minute_. _The mission to Nibelheim had been set in the spring, but it's close to winter right now. It's too soon! I should have had another few months to get stronger! What could have changed?'_

Hewley began explaining things once they got through the apartment door and showed him around the place. "I'll get you the key later, but start moving your things here. You have your own room upstairs. I start training early so be up and ready at 5am sharp. I prepare meals, and the schedule should be in one of the dressers, memorize it."

When they got up the stairs, Cloud was shown into a room that still seemed occupied.

"Zack's things," Hewley grumbled. "I thought he'd have moved them out by now, but I guess not. For tonight you can sleep on either the bed or the couch, whichever you prefer," the man finished and went out into the hall. Cloud decided to pass the time by trying to find the list.

"Sir, I can't find the schedule," he said after thoroughly checking everything other than what was inside the boxes.

"It's in there… somewhere. I'll be right back," the Lieutenant replied and shut the door, and as the door closed, sheets of pink paper were found stuck to the back with bright yellow masking tape. Hand drawn boxes were slapped on the pages to resemble the weekdays, and the writing that ran across the lines looked suspiciously like Zack's ineligible scrawl. Well… it was _a_ schedule, but Cloud raised a brow as he wondered what could have possibly done to the original one.

With a roll of his eyes, he went back downstairs. "What're you doing?" Cloud asked as he spotted the Lieutenant standing in the middle of the living room.

"Trying to get a hold of Zack," the man replied. "Cloud… who taught you sword techniques?"

"I was taught the basics as a cadet. I'm a visual learner and saw a lot of stuff outside Shinra, but I practiced on my own," he answered. Cloud knew it was vague, but there were some strange rules at Shinra that he didn't quite follow. He was sure he'd have to read through the book again, but what little he did remember was that only an Officer or someone of higher rank could teach juniors weapon skills. So saying that he learned from watching Zack could get them into some serious trouble.

"Hm," Hewley eyed him down, but nodded as the answer seemed acceptable. "Tomorrow we'll begin at 7am to get your shots in, set your alarm clock so you can be ready by then. You can go get your things now."

Cloud nodded. "Ok."

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

***Midgar***

"Go find Zack, Genesis. Bring him back home, Genesis," the redhead rambled as he walked through the slums of Midgar. He would have been searching above the plate, but through careful analyzing of complex logic that was figured out as soon as he heard the word 'celebrate' he knew the SOLDIERs would all be in the slums.

Genesis should have denied the request and made Angeal fix his own mess. All of this nonsense was enough to make the Commander flirt with the idea of forgetting it all and go back to Junon. He wasn't a babysitter for Shinra's military, after all. The thought was forgotten by the time he spotted the SOLDIERs, and he watched them merrily drinking themselves stupid.

They didn't notice his presence when he came into the bar, so Genesis decided to sit down and have a drink as well. Besides, the more intoxicated they became, the more fun _he'd_ have waking them up tomorrow.

A flash of gold caught the corner of his eye, and he glanced over to see someone lurking in one of the darker corners of the place. The guy didn't seem like your normal run-of-the-mill civilian and was eyeing the SOLDIERs indiscreetly. Genesis could have just turned around and let it go, but there was something strange about that man, something very… off.

After a moment of thought, Genesis figured that he would have never known the guy was there if not for the subtle movement that caused a reflection, and the reason there was no caution in the other's staring was because the man seemed used to being unnoticed. Still, he didn't like the way the man seemed to be focused on the SOLDIERs. He downed the remainder of his drink and made his way over.

"Is this seat taken?" Genesis asked as he pulled the chair out, and unnatural red eyes peered up at him from beneath the bandana. He thought the other seemed a little too old to be into such eccentric contacts, but then decided he could be wearing them as a scare tactic. Any means of psychological intimidation was popular in gangs, among other darker places in the underground.

"No," the man spoke in a rich baritone voice and didn't seem at all bothered when he sat down.

"That's a mean looking weapon," Genesis commented on the metal glove, taking notice that the gold appeared further up the wrist when the other's arm moved it underneath the red cloak. He wondered just how far it went. "You're not supposed to bring those into the bar… or that firearm."

"You're observant," the man responded.

"When you fight in enough battles, you tend to develop a feel for it," Genesis joked and was rewarded with a dry, humorless laugh. Both glanced up when Zack went to go order another round, and Genesis watched as this unknown man followed the kid's every movement. It seemed like the stranger wasn't so much as watching the group of SOLDIERs as just one in particular. He had the sudden urge to know anything and everything about this man. Genesis spoke, "Mr…"

"Valentine," the man answered with slight hesitation.

"Mr. Valentine," Genesis continued, "I would prefer it if you didn't cause any trouble for my men over there."

"Your men?" Valentine questioned and set his eerie gaze on him.

"Yes, they're SOLDIERs, as I assume you're aware. I am their Commander, Genesis Rhapsodos."

Valentine's eyes contained only a blank look, studying him carefully as he absorbed this new information. Hadn't this man heard his name before? Sure, his name wasn't as popular as the General's, but he wasn't _that_ far behind.

There was silence as he allowed himself to be studied by sharp eyes, and for a moment Genesis thought that the color might be as natural as his own.

"Hey, girly, welcome back!" the bartender's greeting from in the background broke the intensity surrounding them. "What are you doing in the slums this late at night?"

"Sorry, I forgot to ask if you had-"

The man who called himself Valentine got up from the chair and silently left the bar. Genesis followed every movement until the other was out of sight, but something felt strange. The atmosphere was different, and soon other people in the bar turned their attention to him when they noticed that the Commander of Shinra was there. He realized that the reason why he didn't notice the man before was because the other made his surroundings become almost nonexistent. The only ones that Genesis knew were capable of doing that were the Turks, and not just any Turk… the _elitists_, the ones that had to go through years of special training inside the special training. That man… he felt like that type of Turk.

Genesis decided it was time to gather up the SOLDIERs and head back into Junon. Every now and then the military would have cases in which there'd be men who were killed when off the clock. People called it a drunken accident, but he knew better. There were people out there that hated Shinra and anyone working under them. That man might be one of them, and a new target might have been given out. He needed to get Zack back to Junon. The young man could always stay at his place if there weren't any other options available.

He dropped a few gil on the table and walked toward the loud bunch secluded in their own area, but before he got there the girl at the bar backed up.

"Oh!" she cried out, stumbling as they ran into each other. He caught her as she fell back into him. They were left in an embrace that could best be describe as some cheesy classic novel, and they gazed at each other before she unleashed a smile radiant enough to take his breath away.

"Hello. I'm Aerith."

_**To be continued…**_

AN: _Hey! Yes, you! Tell me if you want to see the Zack/Angeal fluffs or just have it hinted!_

_Have any questions? I might have matching answers!_

_Please Review! (Criticism accepted as long as it's_ constructive...)


	12. People are People

AN: _*bows* Thank you all for the reviews/favorites/watches! If you've already given a review before the beta'ing, then I don't think you'll be able to give another until later. Until then, I'd still love to hear what you think in a PM!_

_I hope you all enjoy this new chapter!_

**Ratings**, **Disclaimer**, and _**iWarning**_**!** are still the same.

**People are People  
(By: Dope)**

**Ch 11**

**Zack was busy moving his things** out to Genesis' place. At first he didn't know how to respond when Angeal opened the door for him, but apparently all the confusing feelings that he had were completely one-sided. His mentor gave him free reign of the house and even offered to help, so the work went twice as fast. During it all Zack tried to think of something to talk about, but nothing came to mind. He hoped that Angeal would break the silence and start up a conversation, or even say something about the weather… anything really. He'd even be happy if the other congratulated him on his promotion. It would be kind of late in the delivery, but people always said that it's the thought that counts.

Yet the lack of communication was wearing him down as they kept working in silence. Angeal was probably just glad to be rid of him.

"Did you teach Cloud any swordsmanship?" Angeal finally spoke during their last trip, and Zack held back a childish pout as it seemed the basis of their conversation was going to revolve around someone else.

"No. I helped him out some, but I didn't teach him any weapon skills," he answered and continued to walk on ahead, but his movements were halted when a hand grabbed onto his shoulder. He turned to see Angeal scowling at him, and Zack suddenly made a mental checklist of all the things that he could have possibly done to deserve that look, but this was weird… because the list was incredibly short and had nothing on it for this.

"Zack, you know that you're not supposed to use your weapon outside regulation."

"I know, and I never do," he replied. Angeal really didn't think that he'd carelessly swing that thing around anywhere, did he?

"I told you at the start of the program that you weren't allowed to use those skills to teach others. It could have endangered someone if they weren't ready."

"I haven't," Zack said, but then a light bulb turned on in his head. "Angeal, if this is about Cloud, I thought I told you that I was just going to help him with his workouts and basic moves."

"You did, but when you said 'basic moves' I thought it would only be hand-to-hand combat."

"It was!"

"Zack, don't lie to me."

The SOLDIER stood in shock as he was being reprimanded. Angeal had never been this mad at him before, and he didn't even do what he was being accused of!

"I'm _NOT_!"

"Then tell me; why does Cloud's right foot do the same turn that yours used to do! He's developed the same habit of mishandling his weapon while executing swings, and the battle's overall flow is exactly like yours. He's even doing the same mistakes that I still see you making when you get sloppy!"

Cloud was… doing things like him? Zack was at a loss. For some reason he couldn't look his old mentor in the eye. He didn't know how to reply to that. He knew from experience that no two swordsmen fought the same unless they sparred with each other constantly, and even then they had to study under the same instructor for months to get that symmetrical. Did Cloud see him practicing? Zack immediately shook the idea out of his head. He only used his sword during missions and in the training room... those were Shinra's rules, and Cloud had yet to have access to either of them. So why would…

"You promised me that you wouldn't," Angeal's voice dropped to his familiar gentle tone, but it sounded so different, defeated. It made something inside Zack flinch and wish that the sharp edge would come back.

He did make that promise, and it was one that he made certain to keep. Zack had never taught anyone about the weapon skills that he had learned, but any argument would result in a losing battle. If what Angeal said was true… about Cloud's fighting being a carbon copy of his own, then how could he prove it differently?

Something inside him broke when he realized that his word wouldn't be enough and that Angeal would only ever see him as just a kid, never as an equal. They were on two different levels of ground, and this just made it more obvious. It hurt.

"At the start, you told me that you needed my absolute trust… and you had it, but I guess I'm just not good enough to have it returned, am I?" It was over, and he left without another word.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

It had been a few days since Cloud's move to the apartments, and the only thing his mentor had him working on was his hand-to-hand skill. They hadn't begun training with weapons yet, but that was probably because the Lieutenant didn't want to accidentally harm him, being unenhanced and all.

The only this that annoyed him was that he was supposed to have gotten the mako shots earlier, but the nurse refused to give any to a SOLDIER who had a mission lined up. The lady explained that the tested shot from before was just to give an insight to see if mako enhancement was possible. There could still be side effects with larger doses, and the possibility of getting makosick during a mission wasn't worth the risk. It had all gone through one ear and out the other, but it had Hewley agreeing.

This really impaired with his plan of getting stronger _before_ Nibelheim's destruction, and Cloud knew he had to find another way. There wasn't much time left, and the only thing up for debate was making a BnE into a certain mad General's home. So all his free time was now dedicated to tearing his room inside out while trying to find something that could pick a door lock, but there was nothing, nadda… not even a paperclip.

And if the embarrassment of being a prepubescent teen again wasn't enough, his room got so bad that one time when the Lieutenant spotted the mess he was told to clean it up. There was something very wrong about having someone that Cloud considered a peer -if not in social standing, then age-stare at him as if he were a messy child.

Cloud looked over to the corner of the room where Zack's last piece of luggage lay forgotten. It should have been taken out with the other things, but he could only assume that something came up during the move. He didn't feel right about going through someone else's stuff, but he was getting desperate and maybe… just maybe, Zack would have something useful.

With mumbled apologies, he crawled over to the box and dug through it. Going through all of the useless items, he was amazed when he found a small plastic holder containing an assortment of delicate metal tools. Now, as to why Zack had things specially made for picking locks Cloud didn't want to know. He just felt that it was best to not think about it, give his thanks, and move on.

Another chance was thrown his way. Though it was in the form of a craft that he was horrible at even with Yuffie's direction… it was still a chance.

Cloud sat against the bed and went over his newly developed plan once more. Taking the broadsword wasn't an option. Not only would running around unarmed appear less threatening, but he could probably get off with just a warning if he were actually caught before he did anything. Then there was the fact that he wouldn't be able to swing it effectively inside an enclosed area. He'd have to improvise when he got there.

He took a shaky breath to gather his wits, and then began to initiate step one: sneak out of the house undetected. Cloud made sure to be especially careful in case Hewley woke up, since he didn't know how light a sleeper the man was. Slowly creeping down the stairs, he safely made it to door and out into the night.

It was long after curfew... and against Shinra's policy, but he strolled along the middle of the street as if it were midday. Being seen wasn't an issue as long as nobody actually stopped him from completing his task, and it was highly unlikely that any of the security sat there staring at the cameras all night long. It was also highly unlikely that any of the soldiers or cadets were up because they'd be wasting precious sleeping hours by watching the windows, and everyone's mornings started early.

When he reached the targeted building, Cloud cautiously peered inside to check if anyone was at the desk. It was a case of dumb luck that the entrance was unguarded and kept unlocked, and he went inside. He found the first available staircase in the middle of the hall and adjacent to the elevator, which he was dismayed to find in use and on its way to this floor. Cloud sprinted in hopes of getting to the stairwell before the doors opened, but when he reached the door he found the entryway locked. He gave a soft curse, his plan wasn't really that thought out after all.

A ding sounded behind him, and Cloud knew that he couldn't run down to the other end of the hall fast enough to hide. So instead he attempted to make himself appear as normal as possible, like he had every reason to be waiting there.

When the metal doors slid open, he came face to face with President Shinra. They stared at each other for a moment before the man gave a disgusted shake of the head and moved on. Cloud paused and wondered what was going on in that dumb skull as the man turned and left the building, but his attention was quickly refocused to the elevator as he slipped passed the doors before they could close.

It was still as cold as he remembered inside the building and this particular floor wasn't much different. When he made it to Sephiroth's door, he put the torque into the keyhole and slid the pick in. Locating the pins was the easy part, finding which ones to push in first was another matter. He finally got the cylinder turned within only an hour of screwing up, and Cloud winced from the noise he made while turning the knob. It was a little louder than anticipated, but seeing as how the resident of the household wasn't coming to investigate he figured it was still safe.

It was dark inside the room, and he only recognized the shapes of the objects due to his previous time there. He slowly ventured into the bedroom.

And there the other was… his mark. Sephiroth was asleep in bed, facing the door, and the blankets were strewn about his midsection while silver hair pooled from somewhere behind. Cloud swallowed as his hands shook from nerves, and halfway into the room he mentally cursed himself as he realized that he'd forgotten to grab something to finish this with.

Cloud carefully backed up and went to look around in the kitchen. Making sure to keep his silence, he found the culinary knives in the third drawer and immediately picked up the first one that looked good enough for the job.

Returning to the bedroom, the unguarded form of Sephiroth was back in his line of sight. He thumbed the knife's handle as he recalled all the times that the madman had tormented him, caused chaos and panic throughout the streets, and murdered innocent civilians. This was probably the only way to finish everything before it could begin again.

And then he stopped as uncertainty washed over him. Cloud's memories were proof that the man had awakened into an earlier time, though he didn't know when exactly, but he was sure that Sephiroth had plenty of opportunities to end his life. Instead the man did things that was just short of bullying, but… even after doing all that, Sephiroth had still saved him from drowning.

Cloud paused and stared down at the sleeping face. There was always a different light within those eyes whenever the man would smirk… like it was all just fun and games, and the General didn't really seem too insane. Could he really kill a guy who…

'_NO!_

'_NO,NO,NO,NO,NO!'_ Cloud screamed at himself and forcefully pried his eyes away from the figure. He couldn't afford to hesitate, and he was not going to talk himself out of this! He had to recollect his thoughts. He had to do it now -right now, in cold blood- or there might never be another chance! Sephiroth could just be bidding time, waiting in patience for the moment he'd be able to go to Nibelheim. That's where the alien was! That's when the General...

Cloud shook his head and forced himself to focus, ordering himself to just turn back around and do it.

"Are you done procrastinating?"

Cloud froze at the voice and his eyes connect with a pair of glowing green orbs. The cold tone didn't leave any trace of just waking up, and he wondered just how long Sephiroth had been waiting for him… since he came into the bedroom, before that?

The hostile glare promised a significant amount of pain and the movement that followed could hardly be seen as he was kicked in the stomach. Cloud gasped for breath when he landed on the ground and pain spread from where he'd been hit. He tried to scuttle into the other room to get distance as Sephiroth rose from the bed, clad only in a pair of loose boxers.

When lights came on, the fury coming from the General was only made more visible. The man looked livid, and all Cloud could do now was use all of his fighting experience to dodge the other's lunge as Sephiroth gave chase across the living room floor.

He tried to escape, but he wasn't given the chance to get anywhere near the door this time. He could only navigate through the surroundings while he tried to find another way out. There was the window, but the apartment was a few stories up. Cloud wondered if these buildings had escape routes. They had to have escape routes, didn't they? Unfortunately, Sephiroth must have noticed his shift in vision because the moment he moved the man dove and intercepted him midway.

They grappled around the room for a while, during which Cloud tried his best to keep out of Sephiroth's grasp, but it was over too fast. The other's quick movements had him overpowered, and Cloud yelped when his shoulder collided with the table as they tumbled to the ground. It was all too soon before he was forced on his back and rendered immobile. This was bad. He couldn't get up with Sephiroth on top of him, it was over.

The General looked down in mocking triumph as he laid there in his defeat. Cloud could only catch his breath and wait for it to start, to either torture him with a slow death or end him quickly.

They were both distracted by the sound of footsteps running toward them from within the hall. Cloud noticed the odd look on Sephiroth's face as the General glanced at the knife in his hand, to the door, to him, and back to the knife again. Whatever the man was thinking had come to an end as the weapon was quickly swiped from his hand and hastily tossed aside before the newcomer appeared.

"Sir!" the guard exclaimed while coming into the scene, startled by the sight. "We heard of a disturbance in your room. Are you alright? Do you want me to detain him?"

"I'm quite fine, thank you," Sephiroth said and calmly stood up, acting as if everything were normal. "Cloud was just playing a joke… weren't you, Cloud?"

The guard looked skeptical, and he was too stupefied to answer as Sephiroth continued with the bullshit tale.

"I told Cloud that I'd help him with some techniques as soon as the day began. I didn't think that he'd take it literally and want to start at 0100 hours."

The blond was dumbstruck, but kept nodding in response as he tried to find out what kind of game the madman was pulling.

"Well, alright. I'll let this go with a warning, but don't create so much ruckus next time," the security guard warned.

"I won't," Cloud replied.

"It won't happen again," Sephiroth reassured, and the guard left them alone once more. Unsure of what to do, Cloud continued to lay where he was at, as if remaining stationary would help him blend in with his surroundings, while Sephiroth crouch over by the couch and searched for the knife.

"Sit," the General commanded, and Cloud immediately sat in the closest chair available. He waited as Sephiroth went to the kitchen to place the knife back in its proper place, and he strained his ears to listen for any peculiar sounds. He hoped that the other wasn't just replacing it with a bigger one, but when the other came back empty-handed he suddenly felt the need to ask questions.

"I guess explanations are in order…"

Oh, _terrific_... _now_ Sephiroth was going to talk to him like any sane person would.

"I'm sorry. You really have nothing to fear from me. I'm not following her anymore."

It was the most ridiculous, untruthful apology he'd ever heard. "You tried to kill me!" he exclaimed, being his immediate reaction as he thought of how Masamune was headed for his throat.

"That was an accident, I got careless."

He didn't know if he should believe him or not. "So, you're not gonna kill me?" He asked, but then immediately wanted to smack himself for how hopeful that must have sounded.

"Wasn't planning to," came the reply. The room somehow became even more uncomfortable. Both sat silently.

"And Jenova?" he curiously asked, but paid careful attention to the man's reaction to the question. A simple movement could give away any lie that Sephiroth had about not following his 'mother' anymore.

"Shouldn't be an issue."

"Why?" Cloud wondered, feeling a bit more secure now that he didn't find any danger coming from the other. "I don't get it…"

"Why? I don't know," Sephiroth retorted and leaned back in the opposite chair. "You and your '_friends'_ probably have more knowledge of that thing then I do!"

"…"

Cloud didn't really know what else to say, but now he wondered… how much knowledge of Jenova did Sephiroth have? How much was the man going to hide, and how much was kept secret from when the mansion burned? Cloud figured that their talk was over when Sephiroth got up to clean the mess. He really needed to rethink all of this in a safer place. He should really go back to his apartment.

"Stay." Came the reply as he went to get up.

"Huh?" Cloud looked back, wondering if he had really heard that right.

"You should stay. It's after curfew and wondering around at night is against Shinra policy," Sephiroth stated while moving the cushions off of the couch, and the odd piece of furniture folded out into a bed. The General turned away and headed toward the bedroom. "There are sheets in the closet if you want any."

Cloud didn't begin his search until after the other was out of sight. He did find a set of sheets, but he only grabbed a pillow and blanket. He didn't think he'd be able to get any sleep with the other sleeping in the room next to him anyways, and the only thing that kept them separated was a wall with an open door.

"... and Cloud," Sephiroth called out from within the room.

He moved around to see if he could spot the other inside from the open door frame. He wasn't sure if he should be worried or grateful that he couldn't. He thought of just feigning sleep, but Sephiroth would probably know if he was awake or not. He decided it was best to answer.

"What?"

"I'm tired, so please keep your insatiable urges of murdering me in check. _Goodnight_."

Cloud groaned at the warning in the sarcastic tone. He knew he shouldn't have answered that. Without responding, he buried his face into the pillow to try and forget where he was. It had a unique smell. He took another deep breath while he tried to place its origin, but immediately stopped when he realized that it was of Sephiroth and through the thing over the arm of the couch in frustration. Now that he noticed it, the entire place gave off the same faint scent. He should have just snuck back out the door... He was certain that Sephiroth wouldn't call out to him again, awake or not, but fatigue suddenly swept over him and he fell asleep.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

***Morning***

Cloud's stomach growled as he woke up to the smell of bacon, and he gave a soft moan in appreciation. He had missed listening to the way it fried in the pan, sounding like distant applause as if the strips knew they were just that good. He'd almost forgotten the difference between the stale military rations compared to the quality of a home cooked meal made in Seventh Heaven.

For a moment, wrapped up inside an unfamiliar blanket and on an unfamiliar bed, he couldn't quite remember where he was. He sat up to inspect his surroundings. One look toward the window made him fully alert as he recalled what had happened the night before, and Cloud jerked his body up higher to find the General in the kitchen.

Sephiroth was hovering over the stove, and Cloud was in awe of just how normal the man appeared to be while making breakfast. You'd have to be a fool not to appreciate the simple clothing choice the other made. It complemented his build. The white cotton t-shirt was snug, blue monotone-striped boxers defined strong legs, and the long silver hair that was usually so tidy was still unkempt from sleep. Sephiroth seemed just like any ordinary guy, completely human, and not some crazed evil killer alien.

Then, Cloud realized, he was _looking_. He dove back into the blankets.

"Breakfast is ready," Sephiroth called out.

Inching his way up to the table, Cloud thought of giving an apology for last night… or even a thanks for the breakfast, but Sephiroth quickly slid the bacon and eggs onto the plates and turned back around for the toast before he could really voice anything out.

He wondered if it was really alright... he also knew that he needed to stop staring… right now, but the General looked so different.

Cloud focused his gaze onto the plate.

"Toast?" Sephiroth asked, only to glare down when noticing that Cloud was checking his water for poison. For the most part the other didn't seem concerned about the events. If the roles had been reversed, Cloud was sure he wouldn't be feeding his would-be-killer breakfast. Then again, it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out why the General was more relaxed.

"You don't see me as a threat," Cloud voiced his reasoning out loud.

Sephiroth continued to put butter on his toast as if this conversation was an everyday occurrence. "I don't."

Cloud didn't know how to feel about that. He just took the time to rearrange his food on the plate in the way he was used to getting it. He was here with someone he considered an enemy for years, and then in one night they turned into a… a what; a comrade, coworker, friend? Whatever it was, it was nice to be able to sit back and breathe… in discretion.

"SEPHIROTH!" Zack's voice came in, yelling as the door burst open, and then the older teen caught sight of the blond and pointed in his direction. "HUH?"

"Sorry, Seph, I tried to catch him," the redheaded Commander apologized when coming in, and then noticed why Zack was pointing. "Strife, what are you doing here?"

"Um," Cloud tried to think of a response while he looked to Sephiroth. They both tried to think of what to say that would explain why a Third would be in a General's home.

"Cloud said it was awkward in his new room," Sephiroth lied again. Cloud spotted the Commander eying the two of them down.

"Why?" Zack asked.

"Because…" Cloud finished Sephiroth looked to him to continue. "Your... stuff is still there?"

"Oh, crap! Sorry, Cloud," Zack apologized. "I should have gotten it before I went out last night, but something came up. Do you mind if it stays there until I get the time to retrieve it?"

"Not at all."

"So how did he come to be in your apartment?" Rhapsodos inquired, not fully believing the tale.

"I caught him wondering around outside. He told me his story so I offered him my couch," Sephiroth responded.

"Really…" Rhapsodos raised a brow.

"I was feeling generous," the General further explained.

"I heard from Shinra that he caught a blond headed up this way," the redhead countered, and before either of them could respond a new voice came from the doorway. It was Hewley.

"Cloud?"

"Lieutenant," Cloud responded and tried not to swallow. This was not the outcome that he had in mind when coming here, and for some reason he felt a childish dread rise up inside him at the presence of his new mentor.

"I heard there was a disturbance in Sephiroth's room last night," Hewley spoke. "So it was you."

"I'm sorry, Sir." Cloud apologized.

"At least I found out where you were hiding," Hewley replied and glanced at everyone. "What's with the gathering?"

"As soon as we heard there'd been trouble, Zack ran off to see if Seph was alright," and then the Commander added with a mumble, "as if he couldn't handle himself."

Cloud noticed the strange silence coming from Zack and turned to find his dark-haired friend staring silently at the floor.

"I'll let it go, but only this once," the Lieutenant said while heading out the door. "From now on you're to stay in your room at night. I'm also going to be sent out on a mission, but keep practicing those workouts I've shown you while I'm gone."

Cloud nodded, showing he understood.

"I guess now that we know you're not a damsel in distress," Rhapsodos gave a smirk to Sephiroth while Zack loosened up enough to laugh.

"Yeah, sorry about that," Zack apologized and waved goodbye while they too departed. "See ya around, Seph, Cloud!"

"Glad that's done." Cloud turned to finish his breakfast, but was stopped when Sephiroth focused on him. "What?"

"You couldn't have been a little less obvious when coming over here to assassinate me?" the General questioned, as if asking about the plans that were put in place to bring about his demise was totally normal. Which, for the General, it probably was…

"Well, I figured I was going to get caught anyways!" Cloud huffed and crossed his arms. He didn't want to talk about how many people would have known if given the chance he'd succeeded.

"Yes, but from all the people that had seen you coming up here, you might as well have had a sign attached to your back!"

"Like stealth _really_ matters around you!" he exclaimed and dug into the piled food. The conversation was over, and Sephiroth just glared as he sat back down at the table. It was a strange feeling, to be talking to each other so openly, and neither of them knew how to place it. It was... nice.

_**To be continued…**_

AN: _I'm sure people are wondering how I know how to open locks. I have a lock on my bedroom door (it was to keep my sister from stealing my stuff) and I accidentally locked myself out once or twice... maybe three or four times, but who's counting? A guy had to get it open for me, and it cost $75 (he's the only guy in town, so he can set his own price). So instead of bashing my head and worrying about the next time I do something stupid, I studied on how to open that type of lock. For those of you who have easy inside-house locks, you can also open them with a safety pin or paperclip (to find the pins) and use a screwdriver as a tension/torque wrench. It takes a lot of patience if you're new to it, but Cloud just fails naturally. _

_Have any questions? I might have matching answers!_

_Please Review! (Criticism accepted as long as it's_ constructive...)


	13. Stay with Me Unlikely

AN: _*bows* Thank you all for the reviews/favorites/watches, and I hope you all enjoy this new chapter!_

**Ratings**, **Disclaimer**, and _**iWarning**_**!** are still the same.

**Stay with Me (Unlikely)  
(By: Celldweller)  
**_  
_**Ch 12**

***Midgar***

**Repetitive mornings, pollution filled clouds, fake synthetics** being a pale substitute for the beauty of organics... it was what Reeve constantly woke up to while he felt his optimism being replaced by pessimism a little more with each passing day. Why? Because this was _Shinra_: the company that fed off of the laziness of the people, and how could he preach when, just like them, he was using the comforts that he helped create?

A decade ago he was the youngest and brightest in his field, a student of engineering, technology, and programming. He was once nicknamed Inspire, given to him by the elders for his seemingly magical ability to breathe life into inanimate objects. Yet he was young and cocky. He made the mistake of redesigning the Mako reactors because he could, and what a horrible mess that created. Alone, there was no way he could stop what the company was doing. He was no leader; he couldn't command respect like the three Generals could.

Maybe someday… someone would stand up and say "_this is enough!_"

But until that day came, he would continue to get out of bed, put on his clothes, eat breakfast, and go to work for the most powerful and corrupt company in the world. All he had to do was let them think he was contained in their little birdcage, only capable of voicing his anger and not being able to do anything about it.

"Ah, shit!" Reeve cursed after he grabbed the hot ceramic of the coffee cup from the microwave. "Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!" He quickly moved the cup from hand to hand, trying not to burn himself and yet not spill its steamy contents until he found a holder.

With his reheated black coffee, Reeve navigated his way around the towers of paper cluttering his room and exited out into the hallway. He wouldn't call the place he lived in messy. His clothes were either folded and placed in the drawers or thrown into a laundry basket, and there weren't any food or dirty dishes left out. The room was just… a bit unkempt from work.

It was great, in a way, living in the quarters Shinra built for their employees. There wasn't an excessive amount of smog and the way to work was just down the street and up an elevator. Of course, one would have to be ignorant of the fact that Shinra did this just for the purpose of being able to keep an eye on its employees at all times. Living near the place of work meant there weren't many excuses to give on account of being late or why someone couldn't stay later if they fell behind in their work.

… It was also a little disconcerting that someone was living right underneath you. Not in the -it's an apartment, my floor is your ceiling- kind of way, but in the –you're city is my garbage dumb, the sky you look up at is the graveled stone that I walk on. Yes, if you got passed those minor details, the Shinra Electric Company was one of the best places to work.

Reeve took a few more sips of the strong brew, wondering how long he let the pot sit this time. Maybe he should've thrown it out and made another… he was never really good at this type of thing.

A man already inside the elevator held the door open for him, and Reeve nodded his thanks. In passing he couldn't help but read the simple white lettering on the black t-shirt. –I'm a bomb technician.

"_Well_," Reeve thought, "_Good for him_."

"First floor too?" the man asked and he nodded in confirmation, not having enough energy to voice anything. Reeve made his way to the back to lean against the wall. There he took in more of the writing that was hidden on the back of the shirt.

–If you see me running… try to keep up.

He hopped he didn't swallow too loudly when read that. Images of the man running with only a few seconds left on an explosive device entered his mind and gave him mixed feelings about the grim message of the shirt. It was supposed to be for humor and he would have found it as such on any other person, but the man really was Shinra's bomb technician, and… there was a certain questionable _Turk_…

With a ding, the doors opened and they both left to go to their respective jobs.

Reeve had been stuck as being the head of the agricultural committee for years now, most likely because Shinra knew he'd cause problems if he were sent anywhere else. He would even bet that, without bumping into anything that was screwed down, he could find his office blindfolded if he wanted to. He just chose not to test this because of the one person he tried to avoid on a daily basis, a woman named _Charlene_, who just so by happenstance wheeled out in her chair to cross his path.

_Hur-ray_.

"Hello, Reeve!" Charlene was pretty, lovely really… with her clear complexion and thin frame, but there were just a few things about her that he didn't quite get along with. "How are you doing this morning?"

"Swell, Sharly," he greeted back and attempted to go around her, yet the escape was blocked.

"It's Susan."

"Whatever." During his life he found that most people were intimidated by intelligence. He didn't find himself unattractive by any means. In fact, he'd been complemented on his looks by many women. Their time together went smooth until they found out just how high his intellect went. Their conversations usually lead up to where he worked, to what he did, and ended with "_Oh, so you're a…_ geek_?" _and after that they'd part ways. But _Karin_… Karin was different.

"Can I get you anything?"

"No thanks." Reeve swerved, this time lucky enough to get passed Karin to the break room and dump out his coffee so he could get a better cup. When he turned around, she was there. Surprise, surprise.

Karin was very snide to him upon their first meeting, but all that changed in an instant when she heard that he was Shinra's genius programmer. Now he couldn't go anywhere without spotting her.

There wasn't anything wrong with wanting to date someone of the more cerebral developed variety, but she was what people called a 'geek-freak'… a person that latched onto intelligence and hopped that they could get their name out by just being there. And no matter how rude he was to her, she would not give up!

"It's my birthday today. Some friends and I are going out to the city to celebrate, maybe go to the new restaurant. I heard it's nice, very elegant. Do you want to come along?" Another thing, the most important thing… was her lip. He loved full lips on a woman, but her top one was fuller than the bottom in an odd-looking sort of way, indicating that there was a good chance she had it filled. Even with his genius IQ, he was no exception to the power of the brain-lull that caused the human eye to stare at oddities.

It had the slightest curve to it that went over the bottom.

"I'm sorry, but… with the new software being developed I don't think I can make it."

"Oh, come on. You need to get out of that cramped office. It'll be my treat!"

"I'm sorry, Karin, but I'll be really busy this entire week." Reeve succeeded in completing another dodge and made it into his office.

"It's Susan!"

He mumbled a 'whatever' under his breath and unlocked the door in record time.

It was a repetitive morning, pollution continued to fill the clouds, and fake synthetics replaced the real beauty of what was nature a little more each day. He didn't have to be a psychic to know it was going to be a horrible day. The only thing that he didn't know was what new plan Shinra created to screw their employees over…

He stepped into his office.

It was in utter chaos.

The desk was ripped apart, drawers and papers were scattered on the ground. The charts and diagrams that once hung on the wall were now shredded on the floor, and the contents from the filing cabinets were thrown in a frenzied mess.

Reeve felt dread build in the pit of his stomach as he spotted that the only important drawer to the cabinet was now missing. Not caring about the state of the rest of his work, he dropped to the safe he'd secretly built into the wall years ago. The door was ajar and the program for his new AI was missing.

He dropped to his knees as knowledge that his life's work was stolen from him.

"No..."

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

***Junon***

The General and Lieutenant were accompanied by Tseng and another Turk to Lazard's office. Sephiroth recognized the redhead as being the new guy that Tseng had taken under his wing. Reno, as Sephiroth believed his name was, fidgeted while looking over his new settings, clearly new to the office. The rest of them took a seat around the table.

"I'm sure you're wondering why the mission is constantly being postponed," the Director commented as he flipped through the files. The information that was deemed sufficient enough to give was laughable.

Angeal folded his hands and mimicked the reclined position that Sephiroth was so accustomed to. "I'm only aware of the threat of a monster heading towards a town. It does make me wonder what the reasoning is as to why my team hasn't been sent out yet."

Lazard nodded, figuring as much. "What Shinra has put on the record is that all transports are currently assigned for other use, and there are no current ships to take you to your destination."

"Ask him what's off the record," the redhead spouted, somehow ignoring the threatening glance his leader sent his way in favor of doing a short drum beat on the table. Reno looked back and forth to Sephiroth and Angeal. "Go ahead; ask him what's off the record, yo!"

"And what's off the record?" the General asked, deciding to entertain the new Turk for the moment. Lazard motioned for Tseng to start.

"There are currently three ships and five copters positioned in a town north of here. None of them are in use and have been there for quite some time. The President is planning to let the town be destroyed and claim that Shinra had no part in the destruction."

"He's hoping that it'll just blow over?" Angeal was appalled.

"Yes," Tseng confirmed.

"Then why are we here?" Sephiroth looked to the Director for more explanation. If the President was trying to cover up any involvement, then why give out information?

"You were given this mission by one of the department heads," Lazard replied, "but there were some issues among the board members about sending a Third so early in his promotion. Then it was changed to you, Lieutenant, and a stronger team. The President had gotten hold of the news and stopped the mission. Some of us are against that decision."

"We've confiscated three helicopters," Tseng continued. "They'll be here in two day's time and we'll signal you when they're ready for takeoff. Please be prepared and ready to go on short notice."

Sephiroth wondered why they would need three copters for a mission. "How many teams will be needed?"

"There will be three out this time."

"This time?" Sephiroth asked, unaware that anyone had been sent out before.

"Yes, the first one we sent out was… unsuccessful, which is why Shinra was so quick to want to forget about it." Lazard said.

Angeal was shocked. Something jogged his memory, remembering the last team that was sent to the area around Nibelheim. "... Trent."

"The team is currently stated as M.I.A. The only information given is that a SOLDIER First Class was leading a team of foot soldiers. It was meant to give them a way to get some field experience."

"Dude, tell them about the monster!" Reno was moving around in the seat again, looking like he wanted to add onto the information himself. Again, he ignored Tseng's glare in favor of speaking openly. "Guys, this thing is wicked badass. Plane crash, _fires_, this bitch survived it all! -_OW_!" Reno yelped as he was given a smack to the back of his head by Tseng.

Lazard also sent a glare to the younger Turk. He sighed, wanting to get to that part with a little more delicacy, though now there was no way around it. "The monster was an experiment, combining certain elements of mako into a species. It was uncontrollable and became too strong. It was ordered to be put down and taken to a research lab off base to be destroyed."

"What off base lab?" Sephiroth knew of the lab in Midgar and a smaller one in Banora Village, but where was a lab in the Western Continent?

"There's one in Nibelheim that's used for some of the more… illegal experimentations."

"How long have you known about this?" Angeal demanded, fuming that things of such nature were being done by the company.

"That's classified, and as far as the President knows, I'm not aware of anything going on down there. If I _did_ know anything, I doubt I would be sitting here speaking with you."

"How did the monster escape?" Sephiroth wondered.

"During its air transportation. As it turns out, it was still alive. It regained consciousness and broke free from its bars, killing the guards and crewmen. When the airship crash-landed, we assumed the explosion killed it. Then we got reports coming in about a trail of slaughtered farm animals leading to the direction of the mountains. Though the mission is dangerous, we still can't allow the public to find out about the company's involvement in this."

"The media… you're still worried about the media after all of this?"

"Lieutenant, if the public finds out about this then it's on Rufus' head. It's because of him that a team is being put together at all. Any sort of failure jeopardizes his succession to the company."

"What's the plan?" Sephiroth cut in.

"We're sending out you, Lieutenant, as the first group. You'll be accompanied by a couple of Firsts and a group of newly promoted Thirds. The mission will be rumored as a group of foot soldiers taking the SOLDIER exam. The mission is to find any survivors from the first team and bring the monster to the research lab to have it properly neutralized. Sephiroth's team will be brought in as backup."

Sephiroth looked at Lazard as if he'd grown two heads. "_Backup_?"

"Yes, you and Third Class SOLDIER Cloud Strife will be brought in as backup should anything go wrong."

"Cloud isn't ready!" Angeal told them. They'd been in training for a couple weeks now and he admitted that the blond was decent with a weapon, but Cloud had only been given the booster shot. That strength wasn't enough to prepare him for what was to come.

"He's the only SOLDIER here that comes from Nibelheim. He should know the area well and would be the best to help in the search if something goes wrong. Sephiroth will be there to protect him should they run into any monsters."

Sephiroth scoffed. "What do you expect me to do when he gets tired… _carry him_?"

Lazard smiled at him and gave a simple, "Yes."

Tseng stood up and rolled out a map onto the table. "Nibelheim is located right at the base of the mountains and the majority around is flatlands. My subordinates will spread out with the copters on the flats to create a wider, faster search. The SOLDIERs will need to climb the mountains. We'll give you a lift, but don't expect to get very high."

"What do you mean?" Angeal looked at the scales on the map. The Nibel Mountains contained some of the highest peaks in the world. It was going to be a difficult climb.

"Mount Nibel has the worst magnetic field I've ever seen," Tseng replied. "Our equipment might malfunction and cause us to crash."

"I still don't see why we're taking a fresh batch of SOLDIERs," Angeal tried to rationalize. "I know that the people in the office could have thought of a cover for a bunch of Firsts going if they wanted to."

"I know, right?" Reno exclaimed and began speaking animatedly. "I bet they're just sitting in their offices all day thinking '_hey, how can we better screw our employees over today?_'"

"Reno, quiet," Tseng warned, though it was ignored.

"'_Oh, I have an idea! Let's have them drop their pants while a six foot monster baby is right behind them._'"

"Reno!"

"'_Better yet… let's have them all be fresh out of the batch! That'll teach them to work for us, yo!_' Man, it would be just like giving some pretty boy a cell and watching him get-"

"Reno, do you want to be grouped with Cissnei again?" For a moment the youth had the appearance of a fish out of water and immediately shook his head. He seemed to have complied with the leader's demands, but when Tseng turned away the redhead immediately mouthed the words 'Prison Fucked' to the others.

"I think learning about the monster's weaknesses is now up for discussion." Sephiroth decided and Lazard frowned at the papers, clearly they were useless.

"From the info given to me; we're looking at a monster in its adolescence, has the heads of three different animals, and its abilities and weaknesses are unknown."

"Shinra captured a _chimera_?" Angeal groaned… he hated chimeras. He'd take a cave-dwelling adamantaimai over those three-headed creatures any day.

"Or created one."

"Can we burn him out of the forests?" Reno asked, seeming a bit more spirited. "You know, if he's spotted going into them?"

"No." Tseng immediately shot down the idea.

"But I got some napalm and some C4 back in my room! It'll be a quick explosion, in and out," Reno clapped his hands together for effect. "Done just like that, yo!"

"Reno, we're trying to do this operation discretely."

"Then I'll set it to _blow the__ shit_ out of the trees _'discretely'_."

Tseng sent the redhead another glare that had the younger man shrinking back in the chair.

"That is all we know, gentlemen." Lazard stood and picked up the documents. "I wish you luck for when you get sent out on your mission."

Sephiroth exited with Angeal, Tseng, and Reno following.

"Tseng," Angeal looked at the redhead speedily walking on ahead. "What's up with him?"

"Reno is what we like to call a… 'special case'," Tseng replied.

"And what does that mean?"

The Turk paused for a moment before replying. "Three months ago, Shinra requested that one of the bomb technicians be moved to a new apartment. Four days later the man made a personal request that he be moved back to his previous place. He was denied."

Tseng followed Reno as they walked away from the Generals, leaving them to guess what he meant by that.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

Angeal invited Sephiroth over for dinner. He figured it would be good since Cloud had been a bit on edge ever since the mission was given, and it seemed to grow worse with every update stating that the assignment was being postponed. Now the three of them could discuss it together, and because Sephiroth would be leading Cloud's team the two of them could talk about the details amongst themselves.

He found it odd that whoever created the teams would put a boy in a group other than his mentor's. It had been justified… though barely. It was good to have someone native to the area be in the search party, but how could someone have thought that a young man such as Cloud already have the vast, dangerous mountain range explored and memorized?

Angeal didn't bring up the flaw in that logic because… really, what could go wrong? The new teams consisted of SOLDIERs that would be on constant alert. They were going to bring that monster down.

He sent out a silent prayer, hoping that the other team was fine. Trent was a good warrior, brave and strong. The other wouldn't sacrifice anyone to save himself, but it was possible that the monster was stronger this time. There was also something strange in the details regarding Trent's mission that he was trying to recall, and yet he couldn't place what.

"Cloud?" Angeal called out. The Lieutenant checked the living room, the undeclared favorite of the blond. Usually he'd find his new protégé obsessing over _something_ in this room, even though the wood was damaged over the years by traffic and stained with the occasional spilt drink.

Sometimes Cloud would be polishing the new broadsword, but most of the time he'd be looking out the window. Blue eyes would be glazed over, staring off into space. The blond was the oddest kid that he had ever come across. Their conversations, or sometimes lack thereof, made it seem like the youth was older than he appeared. What made this ironic was Cloud's appearance seemed younger than his age. 'An old soul' his mother used to call it. Angeal never fully understood the meaning until now.

"I'll go check his room," Sephiroth called over to him and hiked up the stairs.

When the General made it to Cloud's room he was surprised to see that the blond warrior was already packing. Either news about the mission got leaked or something else was happening, and as tightlipped as Shinra was… he voted the later. "What's going on?"

The slight bodily jolt Cloud gave didn't go unnoticed. Sephiroth knew it was a conditioned response to him, and yet it seemed that the few days in which they hadn't attacked each other gave the blond enough incentive to keep his back turned to him. "I'm packing… I'm leaving Shinra."

That didn't make any sense. "Why? Isn't Shinra giving you what you want?"

"They've set the mission back multiple times." He could hear Cloud's frustration. "I'm pretty sure that they're going to terminate it, yet they never set a date to give me mako… so why am I still here? The reason why I stayed is because I wanted to get stronger, and the only reason for that is because I was preparing to fight you… but I don't need to fight you again, and I don't need the strength of mako to stop Jenova."

Cloud didn't stop moving his cloths from the dresser into the bag. Sephiroth didn't know if his guard was dropped or if the other simply didn't care anymore.

What he did know was that the idea of Cloud leaving was unsatisfactory. With Jenova still alive there was always a chance that she could gain control over him again, and he probably wouldn't realize it until it was too late... seeing as how he didn't notice it last time. He went over what had happened in Nibelheim again and again in his head, he still wasn't completely sure about how she did it. What he remembered was that neither Genesis nor Angeal had stopped him… they probably didn't have it in them to try, and that wasn't likely to change if history repeated itself.

To him, Cloud was like the backup plan, but to declare that there was going to be a secret mission to Nibelheim would just prove the assumption about Shinra trying to terminate the mission. Sephiroth doubted that other would stay if he found out that the Company was also directly responsible for the new threat to his hometown.

Yet there was something ingrained in the General that said to never give information to someone that could use it against you. He didn't trust Cloud, and he knew the feeling was mutual. He just had to find a way to keep the other here without sharing in those details. "And you fully believe that I'm not going to fight for her? Even if I don't, she's inside the reactor and that's still Shinra property. I'll be ordered to stop you."

The General didn't think it was possible, but Cloud tensed further and looked at him, whispering to make sure he wasn't overheard by the Lieutenant who was still downstairs. "Would you kill me?" The words sounded accusing. "Would you finish what you started in Nibelheim?"

"There are other ways of stopping you, Cloud," he whispered back.

Sephiroth was ignored as the blond continued packing. What else could he say to get the other to stay? Would it even be believable to confess that Jenova had done it all?

No, he supposed it wouldn't.

The sun reached low in the horizon as the two fell into silence. Light appeared in through the blinds, and the glint of Cloud's broadsword leaning against the wall caught Sephiroth's eye. It wasn't anything like the cheap ones that were issued to the new Thirds. This one was new. Angeal must have bought it to replace the old one.

"What do you plan to do after you leave the company?" Sephiroth asked, ignoring the weapon.

"Why do you wanna know?" Cloud eyed him in suspicion, but when he gave no answer the blond looked back ahead and sighed. "I'm going back to my friends. They've been worried about the condition of the planet long before our group was formed. This time we'll just get started a bit earlier."

He frowned, confused. Cloud's group was made to stop _him_, wasn't it? Jenova was a secret of the company. No, not even the company knew about it. It was just _Hojo_, but the professor only used what he could and then locked her away. Did Cloud really think that people would believe a story about a crazed alien whose goal was to destroy the planet? If so, then Cloud really did put too much faith in people. "Your friends may still be alive, but you need to realize that they're not going to be the same. They saw her with their own eyes last time. They'll need proof again."

"I'm already aware of that. I wasn't planning on using them to help get rid of that thing."

So Cloud didn't need anyone to help destroy Jenova, but why was he going to put the group back together? Sephiroth felt as if there was something that he was missing. "Why are you so obstinate about stopping her on your own?"

It was Cloud's turn to look uncertain. "I've been thinking… about a lot of things recently. What if we're not the only ones who came back?"

"What do you mean?" Sephiroth questioned. The idea wasn't too absurd, now that he thought about it. He didn't remember touching the Materia, he only assumed that he had. It could have activated on its own.

Cloud started again, going into more detail. "Well, do you remember actually holding the Materia, wrapping it in your hands, and activating it?"

"... No."

"I don't either, but if we've been sent back in time without touching it then maybe others got sent back too. I mean... if we didn't activate it, then what made it decide on who to bring back?"

Sephiroth glowered at how idealistic that sounded. If other's got sent back, things would be so much easier. He could talk to Genesis and Angeal, asked them why things happened the way they did. "Maybe that's just wishful thinking."

"Yeah," Cloud laughed inwardly and opened the last drawer of clothes. "Maybe you're right."

Sephiroth stepped up and halted the action. He had to choose his words carefully. Cloud _had_ to stay. "The mission is guaranteed to begin in two days. Angeal is going to lead the first team. I would… appreciate it if you stayed."

The other warrior looked ready to say something. That was a positive sign, it seemed like the final decision hadn't been set in stone.

"Afterwards I'll make sure you get your mako. Whatever it is you're planning, a little extra strength wouldn't hurt, right?"

"Why?" Cloud asked, turning a distrustful eye to the General.

"I'm in need of a new sparring partner. Fighting the same two over the years has become repetitious," he said. It wasn't far from the truth.

Cloud looked to be considering it, but was still skeptical. "I still think that there's a chance you could be insane. How do I know you're not lying?"

"You have my word." He knew that whatever he could possibly say would never make the blond completely believe in him, but it seemed important that he should answer. "And if by chance I do go out of control… you know how to stop me." Sephiroth said in assurance, and then he turned and left the room.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*0~0*

Cloud stared after him as he left. The blond knew that something strange was said just now. Whatever Sephiroth was talking about, it seemed as if there'd just been information equivalent to a piece of string being dangled in front of his face.

Cloud would stay… but only to get what he needed, even if it was just to learn the truth about the infamous General.

_**To be continued…**_

AN:_ As for the cave-dwelling adamantaimai, I'm thinking of the one in the hidden cave of FF10. That one was a bitch to kill at low strength, and I'm aware that Trent's mission was told differently in a previous chapter. The question is: was he just boasting in front of some friends or is Shinra covering up more than even the Turks know? O.0_

_Have any questions? I might have matching answers!_

_Please Review! (Criticism accepted as long as it's _constructive_...)_


	14. Know Your Enemy

AN: _*bows* Thank you all for the reviews/favorites/watches, and I hope you guys like this chapter!_

**Ratings**, **Disclaimer**, and _**iWarning**_**!** are still the same.

**Know Your Enemy  
(By: Green Day)**

**Ch 13**

_**It was afterhours**__ and all the cadets were dead to the world, totally exhausted from the brutal training they'd undergone that day. All except one…_

"_Hey, Cloud, you awake?" Zack asked from the top of their bunk beds, poking a head over the edge and whispering as to not wake the other boys._

"_No. Go away," Cloud replied and tiredly dug his head further into the blankets. That particular day of training had taken its toll on him, working areas of muscle he never knew even existed._

_Zack just smiled at him and reached down to pull at the covers. "If you could be anyone in Shinra, who would it be?"_

_Cloud's miserable laugh was the only reply as he looked up at his tormentor. Why would Zack want to do this tonight? He didn't want to play the game of twenty questions after such a vigorous day. What he wanted to do was imagine that there was no metal between them so he could kick the other for keeping him awake, but that would only put more strain on his already sore legs. He sighed, knowing it was better to just get it over with than try and resist. "Sephiroth."_

_His answer was met with silence. He got curious as to why Zack asked that particular question tonight. "Who do you want to be?"_

_Zack gave a thoughtful hum when replying. "Definitely Rude."_

"... _Rude? A _Turk_?" Cloud moved the covers off his head and stared incredulously at his dark-haired friend. That wasn't the answer he'd been expecting._

"_Yeah!"_

"_Why would you want to be a Turk?"_

"_No, not just 'a Turk'… _Rude_." Zack grinned as his eyes glazed over, imagining something that only a person with Zack's brain could think of. "Have you ever wondered what's going on behind those shades? It's like he can see everything! It makes me wonder…"_

"_Wonder what?"_

"…_does he blink?"_ _Cloud threw a pillow at him for his response._

"_Go to sleep!"_

*0~0*0~0*0~0*

Cloud's gaze swept over the empty area of the training field, remembering all the time he spent there as a cadet. The soldiers that were usually training were absent, but he preferred it this way. The silence was welcome from the usual rush that daylight brought to the area.

His muscles were starting to show a bit more… though he was still a bit on the slim side, but that was something he could handle. What Cloud had trouble adjusting to was his mind; it kept contradicting itself. He was young, only seventeen, and fighting the odd behaviorisms that came with growing into a man. He was twenty-seven, an experienced swordsman in his own right, and was used to kids looking up to him rather than being treated like one.

It didn't feel as if any part of him died, he was all there, whole… _blended_, and he hated it. Especially the sudden urges he got –such as inhaling anything that was considered edible, and he wondered just how long it would take before he was accustomed to the feeling of what seemed like two separate selves constantly battling against each other for dominance.

The only good thing that had happened to him recently was the mission. It was now his job to go in as backup while Hewley's team completed the task; an in-and-out operation. All he had to do was get shipped off, and then it would be mission completed: Welcome to Second Class, SOLDIER.

He didn't want to give Sephiroth credit for giving him a reason to stay, but the man had a point. Mako would make stopping the company a lot easier, and Cloud would make sure it got done whether or not he had to sell his soul to the devil in order to do so.

Then there was the bigger question of where Sephiroth fit into it all. The General's loyalties were unknown, and Cloud was sure that nothing short of having Sephiroth killing the alien himself would ever change that. In the end, if he decided to take the monster's side then they'd have to fight, which wouldn't be anything knew, but what lay in the other hand was just a different path that led to the same destination. Their blades would still cross if the other continued to be Shinra's General.

Cloud breathed in deep, clearing his thoughts and beginning the movements Angeal had taught him for unarmed combat. He was going to drill them into his head until they became habit. He supposed this could be counted as another good thing that the time-lapse had brought. The Lieutenant helped him fix small mistakes he hadn't noticed he'd been doing for years. At first Cloud didn't like the idea of being retrained, that his technique was fine just the way it was, but he quickly found that the difference in movement helped with other things.

The Lieutenant was an incredibly patient person, held a certain calming presence, and was so mellow that if not for the fact that Hewley was a great swordsman Cloud would have questioned whether the man's decision to become a SOLDIER was the right one. There were jokes about the constant talk of pride and honor, but it wasn't as often as people made it seem. Cloud got the experience firsthand, but it was only when Angeal had gifted him with the new broadsword. The words spoken afterward held meaning in them, and it was something that Cloud was sure never to forget.

The only problem with being near Angeal was that there was always a redheaded Commander lurking somewhere nearby.

Often times Rhapsodos would stay over for lunch, complaining that a new roommate was eating him out of house and home, but Cloud knew better. Hewley was one of the best chefs that ever walked the face of Gaia.

Rhapsodos always made him a bit edgy ever since the SOLDIER test. Cloud felt like he was being studied… like how Hojo had watched him while he was incased in the glass tube at the mansion. Though the Commander was very social, he was also about as hard to read as Vincent was when the gunman was in his "let's-hide-in-the-corner-and-stare-at-everyone" mode. When the redhead wasn't making the SOLDIER 3rds panic, then he'd be spending his time punishing cadets.

Cloud wouldn't put it past the man to hand out black marks to anyone that so much as _breathed_ improperly. He knew not to be fooled by Rhapsodos' appearance. The man might look as if he couldn't harm a fly, but his actions spoke otherwise… and it was that of a sadistic carnivore culling out the herd.

He stopped his training when he sensed something off… all thoughts of the Commander fled from his mind as the General's presence was felt somewhere nearby. This was another thing he had to get used to. Sephiroth not only acted different but _felt_ different, and he just didn't know if different could be considered good.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*

It was growing dark as the sun began to set in the horizon, and the glowing lamps illuminated the field where the younger warrior practiced on.

Training… that was each SOLDIER's job for when they weren't on the job. It reassured Sephiroth to know that Cloud and he were no different from each other, no matter what had come to pass to bring them to this moment. They both trained to get stronger, to protect, and fight. Their life was measured in their battle capabilities, and it was also what made them different from the rest of the world.

Sephiroth studied the motions from afar, watching how the blond moved through them with practiced ease. It was almost as if he were watching a dance, and he wondered if this was why everyone was always so mesmerized when he did his own training.

He just didn't expect Cloud to stop and turn around in the middle of it. For some reason he felt like he was caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"You're not going to make it a habit of sneaking up behind me, are you?" Cloud boldly asked.

"Of course not, this was just a coincidence… you're training late." Sephiroth replied as he came forward and rested against one of the track posts. "Have you given my proposal any thought?"

The blond looked a bit nervous at the question. "I have, and… I know you don't make offers to just anyone. So I want to know what's in it for you, and I'm not going to buy into the story about you wanting a new training partner when _we've_ been fighting for years…"

Sephiroth didn't know what to say about that. He'd hoped that Cloud would've taken that and been done with it. There wasn't even anything that the other warrior had that would be considered lucrative to him. There was nothing… really, other than Cloud staying, and the reason he gave wasn't a total lie. He wasn't as familiar with every move Cloud made as he was with his comrades'.

Considering their past, the other's slight case of paranoia was well within reason.

"There are some things that I'm curious about. Especially as to what happened while I was crystallized in mako."

The blonds' head shook. "I'm not going to tell you any personal details on anyone I used to know, if that's what you're wondering."

That was good. Asking about those that were in the group hadn't even come into mind, but… Sephiroth fought the urge to voice his disgust. "I couldn't care less about them."

Cloud only raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. "Ok… so mako for information. What do you want to know?"

There were lots of questions to ask, but Sephiroth hadn't planned to meet Cloud here. There were also things that the other might consider taboo. He went with the one that'd been bugging him since he left Angeal's place. "Why were you so adamant about recreating you're group? It's obvious you don't need them."

"But I do need them," the blond countered, causing the General's head to tilt in his confusion. Jenova and he were the ones that had attempted to destroy the planet. Saying that Cloud needed the group was the same saying that Sephiroth was their target.

"So they can all keep an eye on me?" Though the suggestion wasn't callous at all, his voice hinted like it was the obvious plan.

"What?" Cloud's eyes widened, catching onto what he was thinking. "_NO_! AVALANCHE is a… _pro_-_planet_ _group_."

Sephiroth went over the name in his head, not recognizing it. "What did they do?"

"Whatever they could to keep the planet from dying."

The General sighed as the words went full circle again. Cloud's limited explanations were what caused his frustration in the first place. "But you can kill Jenova on your own?" he asked.

"Yes."

"You're sure?"

"Positive."

"Then why is AVALANCHE needed?"

Cloud huffed as the matter was pressed, knowing that Sephiroth wasn't going to let the question slide. "If you don't know about them then it isn't any of your business!"

"I'll decide if it's my business. You're trying to hide information from me, Cloud." Sephiroth gave his best glare, but Cloud matched it unfalteringly.

"Don't think I don't know that you're doing the same," the other accused right back. "I told you, any personal information on my friends isn't any of your business, and I consider what they do to be a personal matter. Just know that their goal isn't killing you."

"That's a little hard to believe."

"So are you!" Cloud argued. "You act as if nothing had happened, and that coming back to the past suddenly clears you of fault for everything you've done. If you want me to put so much faith in you, then maybe you should get rid of Jenova yourself!"

Thus began their staring match. Sephiroth cursed. Of course, the only way to get Cloud to stop tiptoeing around him was to do the one thing that he didn't want to attempt for fear of turning into the one thing that Cloud claimed he might become.

He certainly wasn't going to make any claims about Jenova until he knew for sure how she took over his mind, and if he didn't have proof then he doubted that Cloud would believe it. He just had to stall the other from giving him a defined label.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*

Cloud glared back at Sephiroth, knowing the General was using the intimidation tactic that the man was well-known for. He had to stay his ground… he had to know what Sephiroth's answer was going to be. '_Look at his eyes_,' he thought to himself. '_The way to know if someone is lying is through their eyes_.'

There it was, Sephiroth looked down momentarily, and Cloud knew the man's reply was going to be mixed in with another lie. He waited, wondering if it would contain a 'yes' or 'no' answer and mentally prepared to deal with either one.

Then the General smirked.

"Our agreement was that you get mako in return for answering my questions, and I believe you're getting more out of this arrangement than me. What I decide to do and what not to do is personal. Just know that it isn't going to kill the planet, and it_ isn't any of your business_." The General began walking away. "And have a wonderful evening, _Cloud_."

Only when the silver-haired man disappeared from sight did Cloud realize that his jaw was left wide open. He quickly snapped it shut and cursed. That wasn't at all what he'd been expecting to hear! Why couldn't that man make anything clear? Sephiroth was an egocentric, inconsiderate, spineless, lying bastard, and it _infuriated_ him!

He sat down in the grass, placing his head in his hands while trying to calm his anger. He hated that man. If he had to destroy the General then he'd already proven to himself that he could do it. He could, and would… over and over again until one of them either died or they were both too shattered to fight anymore.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*

"_Mom, Mom! Who's that?" a young child asked as he pointed to a Shinra poster. The male pictured in it couldn't have been any older than a teenager and had outlandish silvery-white hair with striking green eyes. The black leather that was fitted to the strong body contrasted with the bright colors of the poster, but what was most intriguing was the sword being held in the other's left hand._

_The mother just chuckled at her son's insatiable curiosity. "That boy is Sephiroth, Cloud. He works for a company called Shinra. He's really brave and strong, a warrior amongst warriors, even at his age." She rebalanced her son on her hip and walked away from the advertisement with their groceries in hand._

_The boy turned his head to stare as the poster got further and further away. It was the most amazing thing that he'd ever seen in his life, and every day he wished that he could be that strong. It's what he dreamed to become, it was his ultimate goal in life._

*0~0*0~0*0~0*

It was the pain of realizing that the one he idolized most didn't see him as anything more than a puppet. The deep scar of betrayal that was left inside of him took years to dissipate, but even then he never forgot. Realizing that the man he had once idolized the most in life was the same one to set his world aflame hurt beyond anything he thought capable of feeling, and he'd been the one to kill him again, and again, and again...

Cloud tilted his head back and breathed through his nose. His sight grew bleary from tears while various thoughts consumed him. He didn't want to think about it anymore. It seemed like every time he got a break, it was thrown back in his face. He really, really hated that man, and reminding himself of that had always made the battles a little easier.

No one said he had to enjoy it.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*

Reno grumbled as he dragged his feet across the ground. Why did _he_ have to sign the paperwork that made the temporary confiscation of Shinra transportation okay? Wasn't that Cissnei's job? The Turk grumbled some more as he made his way to the fax room.

So much for the promise of always doing what he loved… Reno wouldn't even be tied down to the damn company if it wasn't for the fact that he'd gotten caught playing with fire. The Shinra towers in Midgar had so much _stuff_ in them. Fun stuff, such as dynamite, and it wasn't as if the company was using it anyways. He had decided to try and 'liberate' them of some goods that could very well be deadly in incapable hands, and Reno didn't want the workers to accidentally blow themselves up…

Sneaking inside had been easy, for him anyways. He'd always had a natural talent for getting into places he shouldn't be in. It was when he had the goods in his hands that he'd felt a coldness touching the back of his neck, and he'd slowly turned around. There had been his future leader, giving him a deadly glare with gun in hand. Reno had given his best smile and had placed the items back on the ground.

Then he'd been given the option of choosing either a slow death or to put his skills to use for Shinra, and now here he was… with _paperwork_. The only thing he regretted in life was not making sure that he was alone in the room _before_ he jammed the doors shut.

Reno glared up as the camera followed his movements. He gave the watchers a delicate flip of his finger and entered the cozy little work space. The room was filled with boring electronic equipment. There was a fax, a copier/printer, and an entire wall dedicated to the use of paper. He wasn't alone. Someone was already using the only computer the small office held, which he heard sucked during the day because there'd be a hold up when more than a few people had to upload data to print.

He did a double take after putting the pages into the fax. The man was obviously a Turk, about 6' tall and in his late twenties. The other had long, dark hair, and Reno wondered where Shinra was keeping the cloaks that the man used to cover his old-fashioned getup… it looked kinda cool.

"Hey," Reno greeted the man, only to be ignored as the other's back was kept turned to him. "Name's Reno, I'm kinda new here."

"…"

Reno leaned against the machine and sighed. It always sucked being the new guy. "So how long ya been here?" The man said still nothing, but that didn't discourage him. "Been here for a couple months now. Boss-man Tseng wants me to practice with the beating stick. What you use, yo?"

Again there was nothing but silence and the occasional clicking of the mouse. Exactly how did Turks get trained to focus so hard on their tasks? Reno would probably never learn to do that, and he figured that it must be something taught since birth…. Yeah, that must be it.

He took his time to look the other over from the ground up. The combat boots were steel-tipped, meaning that the man could be a close combat fighter, but what was hidden under the red cloak said otherwise. Whenever the cape moved it showed a particular outline that was undoubtedly a gun, but tipped shoes and firearms didn't mix well for combat.

Reno scratched his head in thought, pondering if the man could possibly be a mix. The other Turk would have to be pretty damn quick to deliver a physical attack and get far enough away to make proper use of a gun that size.

Yet it wasn't the only thing Reno noticed. The only movements done by the other were only with the right arm. The left side was kept so still that it wouldn't be illogical to think that the arm was lost in battle, and Reno would have kept assuming as much if not for the fact that the last motion outlined a limb. Maybe the arm was useless, and the other just didn't want to part with it… or maybe it was cut off and replaced with a synthetic!

"So… have you and Rude done any jobs together?" Reno asked. The silence that his partner had was something he was learning to deal with, but the silence this man gave was downright annoying. "Yeah, me and Rude… we've been together for like… _two days_, but I can already tell that he's going to be fun to hang around… like the life of the party, yo."

"…"

The fax beeped, signaling that the final page was sent, and the machine gave a hum as it recalibrated. Reno grinned as the other finally turned around. He was going to give another friendly greeting, hoping that maybe the other Turk was going to start talking, but the pages from the fax were shoved into his chest and he was push out the door.

That was definitely the most direct way of getting someone to leave.

Reno cursed; he didn't even get a good look at the man's face. The eyes were the only thing not being covered by the cloak, but they were glaring so hard that Reno couldn't tell the color.

For shits and giggles, he opened the door to tell the man that he wasn't done faxing, but the room was empty. There was no way that Reno knew of to get out of there besides the door he was just shoved out of… so it was just common sense to immediately determine that the older Turk was the coolest thing since sliced bread.

He couldn't wait to be taught that trick during his training!

*0~0*0~0*0~0*

Morning came and went as Sephiroth sat in the lab, looking particularly bored while Hojo drew the last blood sample.

"Did you experience any symptoms with the last mako injection?" Hojo asked the routine questions and placed the tube into a device that separated the blood cells from the proteins. "Drowsiness, headaches, muscle pains?"

"No," Sephiroth responded.

"Good, good."

The lab assistant quickly jotted the notes down onto paper while Hojo shut off the centrifuge and grabbed the flashlight. "Pupils are responsive. No excess glowing or color distortion to the iris."

Sephiroth allowed the examination to continue only because he knew firsthand what happened to someone that was caught too late with mako poisoning. They slowly became trapped inside their own mind, unseeing and unaware of what was going on around them. Their eyes would be accompanied by a bright, luminous glow while the pigment would gradually change in the iris.

The checkup was disturbed as a crash came from near the doorway. Two of the assistants ran into each other, causing a mess of mako when a container shattered on the floor.

"Get out," Hojo hissed as the two attempted to clean it up. "Get out, the both of you! You three, clean that up."

Sephiroth knew that he wouldn't be seeing them around here again. Hojo expected top performance, and anything less than perfect wasn't worthy of being inside the lab.

It was like this all the time with new assistants. If someone was caught in the mistake of another then both were considered to be at fault for not getting it fixed, or in this case… not getting out of the way.

Hojo didn't look too happy as he spotted one of his tools covered in mako. He left to go get a sterile replacement.

The silence was broken as one of the assistants got the nerve to speak, though quietly, now that the professor was away. "This is just great… first Slarky leaves to go play doctor with Scarlet, and now we're even more behind in help! _And_ _she wasn't even that good_."

"Did you hear that they've already selected someone to be their first test subject?"

"Really? Who?"

"A male who just recently passed the SOLDIER test. He's already trying to make it to Second Class and with just a booster shot!"

Sephiroth realized that it was Cloud they were talking about. A frown came with this sudden new knowledge, not liking that someone so inexperienced would be testing mako on _anyone_. Then his thoughts did a one-eighty as a smile tugged at his lips. Cloud was accepting _his_ offer, not some green assistants' that just recently decided to break off from the teacher. This meant that while the other might not think of Sephiroth as the most trustworthy person, at least he was trusted more than her.

They all fell silent again as Hojo's footsteps were heard echoing down the hall.

"Now where were we?" the professor mumbled to himself as he entered the room and immediately went back to work.

Though Sephiroth thought that Hojo was a crass individual, and was not what one would call social by any means, at least the man knew his work. The problem was that Hojo wouldn't take Cloud as a subject since the other hadn't shown any remarkable ability yet.

Cloud would just have to get it the same way all the others did, and if, for some reason, Shinra wouldn't accept Cloud as a SOLDIER then Sephiroth would be there to make sure the nurses did.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*

"So…"

"Silence, Reno," their Turk leader ordered and eyed the redhead down.

"…"

"… … …"

"…"

The newest Turk finally gave up making conversation and began squirming in the soft cushion of the seat. Rude knew Reno was trouble the moment Tseng caught the little sneak snooping around in Midgar headquarters. Back then Rude was ready to snipe the kid, and he had an _excellent_ shot from atop the next building. He was just waiting for the signal, but Tseng never gave the order. Lucky guy.

He couldn't argue with Tseng's decision on giving the kid the choice to become a Turk, Reno turned out to be surprisingly good at the job. If only that mouth wasn't on him.

"Why are you wearing shades indoors?" Reno asked, sitting in the chair across from Rude.

"…"

"I mean, the room isn't that bright. Kinda like a soft… orange-y yellow glow."

"…"

Tseng was about ready to open his mouth and tell Reno yet again to keep quiet when Cissnei came through the door with an armful of folders.

"Hey, guys, sorry I got here so late! _Some_one sent the fax to the wrong office, so I had to fix it real quick."

Reno looked down at the black numbers on his hand. "_Oh_, so that _was_ a four." That was a lie, he never looked at the numbers that Cissnei had written on his hand. He just wanted to make sure he never got that job again.

The female Turk looked grossed out. "Ew, that's been on your hand all night? Don't you wash?"

"Only after handling unstable chemicals, yo," Reno replied and Cissnei rolled her eyes.

"Well, anyways, there were quite a few people on your list." Cissnei motioned to the items in her possession. "So I only printed out the inactive ones that seemed relevant."

"What about the ones that have gone AWOL?" Reno asked as he looked at the papers containing information on non-active Turks. "Or the guys that quit Shinra?"

She glared, putting a hand on her hip and looking all-knowing. "There's no such thing as an AWOL Turk."

"Why?" Reno wondered.

"Because all the ones that get listed as AWOL become dead," Tseng answered.

"…oh."

The three Turks followed Tseng into Genesis' office. The Commander had requested information about any missing Turks, stating that one was in the slums of Midgar. If anyone else were to make that claim then it would have been ignored, but Genesis wasn't stupid. Tseng would have loved to make a Turk out of Rhapsodos if not for the fact that the other was already the Commander of SOLDIER.

"We have what you requested," Tseng said and passed the documents to the Commander, who politely accepted the papers.

"Thank you. I guess I'll owe you one then."

"If there's someone out there with Turk training then it's _our_ duty to find them," Tseng stated. "If what you saw is true, then we'll be the ones who will be indebted you."

"How many did you get?" Genesis asked as he flipped through the pages. It was a bit more than what he'd been expecting.

"Fifty-seven," Cissnei said as she helped spread the files across the table. "I only printed off the Turks or people who had Turk training within the last ten years. Some of these don't match up with your description, but I wanted to broaden our search to include changeable qualities."

The Commander noticed the date of employment and deceased on the top few pages. "Your people certainly don't last long."

"I assure you that our survival rates are better than yours," Tseng countered.

'_Touché,'_ Genesis thought as he carefully studied each of the faces. He took longer on others, mentally imaging what some would look like without so much weight or facial hair. In the end, he gave a dejected sigh. "None of these are him."

"Are you sure?" Cissnei asked.

"Positive. Even with the bar light, I got a good look at most of his face. Are you sure these are all of them?"

"Yes, I could broaden the search a bit, though it wouldn't hurt if we had a name to go with it."

Genesis leaned back with a groan. "It was so obviously a pseudonym that I can't even remember it."

"That good?" Cissnei smirked at the SOLDIER Commander, clearly thinking the man was underestimating a Turks' training- that even a name could be eluded.

"No," Genesis grunted. "That _bad_."

Cissnei crossed her arms and frowned, certain that the man just didn't realize a good cover when he heard one. Then she felt Reno's presence getting a bit too close for her liking. She looked over her shoulder and was about to tell him off when she saw that he was staring down her shirt... _again_, which explained why the younger Turk had been so quiet.

Rude didn't have time to react before Reno, who bodily jumped back to avoid being hit, roughly smacked him in the face with a stray hand. His shades broke in two, one half falling to the floor while the other quickly followed, and he bent down to pick them up.

The room was silent… _momentarily_.

"Um… uh… sorry, yo," Reno apologized, for once seeming sincere about it. "Please don't kill me."

Rude carefully put the pieces inside his pocket and kept his gaze focused on the irritating redhead.

Thankfully Tseng spoke up. "Can you mention anything else about his appearance… something our huntsmen can spot onto? 'A tall, pointy-nosed guy with black hair' doesn't exactly pop out."

Genesis grinned as he remembered giving the description. He was in the middle of a business date with a pretty brunette when he'd given the call. It was a bit rushed. He didn't want her to know there was some weird guy out there possibly looking for SOLDIERs to off. "He was about 6', in his late twenties, athletic build… long, dark hair… wore a black suit-"

Reno held in his urge to snicker, that description left about a third of the people working for Shinra and plus some.

"His eyes glowed red. At first I thought they were contacts, but they were too real… like a SOLDIERs'. He had this really torn up red cloak."

That got Reno's attention. He searched around the shops all night last night and couldn't find one anywhere. He really needed to ask where they were sold. Maybe Tseng might know.

"Right-handed. His left was covered by some type of gauntlet, but it was hidden. He didn't appear to be comfortable with it. The cloak had a tall neck that hid most of his face."

And the more the Commander spoke, the deeper every word sunk into Reno, suddenly remembering his strange encounter with the man from earlier. His stomach was starting to tighten as the description was beginning to sound much too familiar.

"He had a red cloth wrapped around his forehead and... Reno?" Genesis stopped as he noticed the blood draining from the younger Turks' face.

Reno hesitantly licked his lips as he looked the Commander in the eyes. "Pale skin, steel-tipped shoes, and carried a long gun?"

The other's look confirmed that he finished the description accurately.

"Guys, I saw him yesterday in the fax room... I thought he was a Turk, yo."

_**To be continued…**_

AN:_ Please Review! (Criticism accepted as long as it's _constructive_...)_


	15. Aint no Rest for the Wicked

AN: _Thank you for the reviews/favorites/watches! I hope you all enjoy the new chapter… even though it's been waaay overdue. But I made sure to make it a bit longer. 0.o_

**Ratings**, **Disclaimer**, and _**iWarning**_**!** are still the same. I think. Sorry, that was a lie… _I don't think_.

**Aint no Rest for the Wicked  
(By: Cage the Elephant)**

**Ch 14**

**What did it take** to become a Turk? Was it one's obsession to always be kept in the knowhow? Was it that Turks were known to be the most silent of killers, even more so than the Wutai ninjas? Was it personal conviction to be the best of the best of the best? Turks were Shinra's elitists and were considered too important to even be given the option for mako testing. At least that's what Reno would like to think.

He always knew what was going on inside Shinra even before the President himself was informed, and whatever shit that was going on right now was too damn interesting not to put himself in the middle of it.

As of late evening, all Turks were ordered to be on high alert. Every camera in Shinra had live feed wired directly into Cissnei's room, and not even the President himself knew about it.

The previous night Genesis had pulled Reno aside for questioning about his visitor from the other day and interrogated him like he was one of his SOLDIERs. Yet wasn't SOLDIER and Turk their own separate units? Reno still didn't understand some of the unspoken rules, but he went with it only because Tseng allowed it.

"Still thinking of last night?" Cissnei asked from behind, catching him off guard.

"Yeah."

"Don't think too hard about it. With every new leader comes different diplomatic relationships we have with the SOLDIERs. There's always going to be distance because we're so different from them, but… you know… it's best to just go with the flow."

"Why?" Reno wondered, accepting the fresh cup of steaming hot cocoa offered to him. Cissnei just shrugged and began drinking her cappuccino. They would be pulling an all-nighter if they had to. Finding the man from the office was first priority. Finding out who sent him and why was just part of the job description.

Yet there was no sign of him.

He sighed, slouching back in his seat as he stared at one of the hidden cameras. He should probably help look at the other feeds, but he was so tired that his brain felt like it was shutting down. Why wouldn't Cissnei let him have some of her cappuccino?

Oh, right. She said she didn't want him to have any type of caffeine while he was in her home.

But anyways, he was still looking at the screen.

There was something about the picture that seemed interesting. He guessed it was because it was a little darker than the others. Which was weird… because weren't all the cameras supposed to be the same quality?

"Hey, Cissnei," Reno called over to his female partner, intending to point out the discrepancy if only to annoy her. "What's wrong with this camera?"

The girl put her drink down and leaned in to see better. "What do you mean?"

"It's like… I don't know. Like there's a dark texture in the middle of it," he waved, trying to explain. "Like one of those scenes on a scary movie, ya know?"

"Damn, one of the lenses must be off," Cissnei mumbled as she saw what he was talking about. "It's all electrical. I should be able to adjust it from here."

Reno scooted over so she could get closer to the keyboard. He tried to wait patiently while she worked with the camera adjustments, but it was taking too long as she tried different things.

"That's not helping," Reno commented after a while and was given a venomous glare in return.

"Then you fix it!" Cissnei hissed.

"You told me not to touch your shit!" Reno argued back, not mentioning he didn't know how to. He knew about cameras, but the way Cissnei's system was set up was different than what most people did. It was because she was a Turk, the best of the best of the best, and she worked cameras in a way that boggled people's minds.

"And you still better not touch anything," she warned. "_Ever_!"

"Then how do you expect me to-"

Rude slowly pulled one of Cissnei's couch pillows away from his head, formerly attempting to drown out earlier bickering from the two while mentally going over the many different ways fluffy objects could be used as killing devices. Most of the scenarios ended with asphyxiation, yet the feathery pillow in his hands was too soft and light to be of any realistic use.

He walked in-between the two and switched the camera setting to infer red, thus fixing the problem of faulty lighting. The bickering stopped as the two developed a light shade of red to their cheeks.

Cissnei felt like a fool. After all, it was her system, and although she should have had it fixed… she should have also switched it earlier. "Thanks, Rude. It's the lack of sleep and all… Rude?"

Reno and Cissnei saw the utter look of disbelief on Rude's face as he stared directly passed them and toward the screen he just changed. Bright reds and yellows moved on the display, as if knowing they'd been exposed.

Then the picture went black.

Reno couldn't believe what just happened. He was at a loss on what to say other than "Holy shit…"

Cissnei was close to looking panicked. "Call Tseng!"

*0~0*0~0*0~0*

Genesis growled as he came back from Hollander's lab. The Turk impersonator had gotten in with a keycard that had its user ID removed, or maybe it was never issued to begin with. All evidence pointed to the fact that whoever the intruder was, he knew people… dangerous people that knew how to get passed Shinra security. He must have also known the guards' rounds so he wouldn't have been seen.

So he went for a stroll. "Scouting" was the proper term. He walked the base from end to end, but he found nothing.

Daylight broke and lit up the area of the landing zone, creating darker shadows and better hiding places. The Turks would just have to be on their own for the rest of the day. Genesis had other things to do.

"I've been waiting for you, Commander of the Shinra military."

The SOLDIER snapped his head to look over at the ledge of the flight strip, an area he'd just looked over only moments ago. There the intruder was, gaze turned away from the Commander as he let the sea breeze take hold of his red cape and watching the sunrise as if the most protected area in Shinra was a public park.

How had Genesis not seen him sitting there before?

"You're very elusive," he said as he carefully watched the other. If it was a fight the intruder was looking for, then it was one that Genesis would be sure not to disappoint. "Why were you looking for me?"

"I'm looking for _someone_," the dark-haired man corrected. "You're going to tell me where he is."

Genesis glared. This person was speaking as if the distance between them wasn't there at all. It meant that the man knew how good a SOLDIER's hearing was. "And you think I know where this 'someone' is?"

"Are you a SOLDIER?" the cloaked man asked.

"Yes."

"Then you know where he is."

"Who are you?" Genesis demanded to know.

"No one," the other said as he got up from the ledge and turned to face him, the red in his eyes was more noticeable now than it was at the bar. "Or maybe I'm all that's left from a world once dying."

"You speak like a madman!" Genesis scoffed.

It took a moment for the man to respond, considering the option. "Maybe you're right."

The other took a step forward and looked ready to get down to business… just like a Turk. "Genesis Rhapsodos: Commander General of the Shinra Military, score of 99%... scored only below by that of the General Sephiroth, born in Banoria-"

"Common knowledge," he interrupted as he grew impatient. "What are you here for?"

The other ignored him, only to continue. "Widower to female, Rebecca: died 10 years ago from pregnancy at age 17. The pregnancy itself was a miscarriage."

His face paled at that. He hadn't heard that name in years. He'd tried hard to forget about it, about her… the woman who died because of him... because of what Shinra put in him. It was something that even the company kept hidden... the secret as to why SOLDIERs never had families of their own. "How do you know…"

"I read your file," the man stated as if it was a common answer, but only Shinra employees with the highest of clearance would have access to that file… and only the scientists who worked with Hollander knew where to look. That meant...

"You used to work for Shinra," Genesis stated. There wasn't any question about it. The other gave a nod. "What branch?"

"I was a Turk."

The Commander smirked. That meant the battle wouldn't take all day. There were only a handful of Turks that could keep up with a SOLDIER and even then they'd need to have the initiative. He grew sadistic. This man would pay for snooping into matters that weren't meant to be looked into.

"I could have been a Turk… did you know that?" Genesis taunted, and the man's fingers twitched, eager for battle. He couldn't blame him, he was ready to pull out his rapier at any time.

"I know-"

"Was it in my file?" He growled. He didn't know if he was more upset at how much this man knew or how much personal information Shinra kept on him. He was given another nod. "Want to know why I chose SOLDIER?"

The question seized the other's interest as Genesis subtly grabbed hold of his rapier and cast a silent enhancement spell to the blade. "_Because it has better perks!_"

He kicked off the ground, using his enhanced speed to rush toward the other. Yet what Genesis didn't count on was how quick the other was with his draw.

The man fired before he got his attack off. The Commander sliced through the bullets that he couldn't dodge and felt the air distort on either side of him from where the two halves flew by. He quickly backed away. The gun was already reloaded.

The man was quick, but Genesis had the experience of fighting against ranged weapons to use to his advantage. He'd even developed his own style of fighting to counter such techniques.

He cast a destruction spell on his rapier, making it glow red as runes appeared around the length and were absorbed by the metal. He called upon the Fire Materia placed inside his weapon's hilt, using ranged against ranged as he bombarded his opponent with multiple fireballs.

The other didn't move, but instead watched patiently as the attack drew near and blew the ground up in waves of fire and heat. Genesis dropped his stance as his battle lust was thrown. He'd thought that the other would have at least tried to avoid the blast, not just stand there and take it head-on.

It didn't matter who he was fighting anymore. The intruder would be a pile of dust now.

The Commander sheathed his sword and turned. He'd call Tseng and have the Turks take care of the detail work. He wanted the day off. He was tired and sore as hell, he was always sore after getting new shots.

"Turk intellect with SOLDIER strength," called a voice from behind. Genesis turned to see a figure appear inside the dissipating smoke, seeming completely unharmed, and there was something within the tenor of the voice that made Genesis question it… it wasn't the same from earlier. It was darker, deeper… "It's a dangerous combination."

Genesis stood transfixed as he saw new heat waves came up from the ground from where the man stood. His instinct warned him of danger, but his SOLDIER mentality told him to defeat and conquer.

"What about the other one?" the voice soon asked in a hushed whisper. Genesis was about to reply with a _'what other one?'_ when the other continued on without him. "He's just a Turk… he doesn't know the workings of that department."

"And this man does?" The gunner's entire body jerked and twitched. "The probability is high."

"Interrogation then." Lips twisted into a wicked grin. "I like that."

As if the smile wasn't alarming enough, the man was now looking at him with eyes darker than black. There was no light to be found… only swallowed within the depths of emptiness.

So it wasn't just his imagination earlier. There was something wrong with this man's head.

The gunner's eyes were focused at his waist, and only then did the Commander notice how tightly he gripped his sword. He took a breath and loosened his hold… the man seemed to have found some type of mental stability again. It was time he did the same.

The gunner took charge of the next attack, coming in just short of melee range to use his gun to its fullest effect, and Genesis' shoulder was pierced by one of the projectiles. He attempted a counter against the sudden move, but the other easily evaded with speed equal to his own.

He cursed as the words the man had spoken earlier came to mind… The skills of a Turk with the enhancements of a SOLDIER. He'd assumed that the gunner had been talking about him, but that wasn't the case… the gunner had been talking about himself!

It was like Turk going against Turk, SOLDIER against SOLDIER. Genesis couldn't get close enough to gage the other's strength. He'd have to do it the Turk way… and with Turks…

It was the initiative.

So he used that knowledge and began the next wave of attacks, waiting until the gunner's shots were used up to jump into range.

It would have worked.

It should have worked.

Genesis had judged his timing perfectly, yet it seemed as if the mysterious gunman was ready for such an attack as the weapon was reloaded with only one shell. By the time Genesis had his sword ready to swing, there was a barrel pointed directly in his face. The two had time to catch each others' eyes before the trigger was pulled.

The Commander steadied himself as he felt along his jaw from where the bullet had grazed him. There was just a small scratch, but thankfully nothing to worry about.

The gunner, on the other hand, swayed as a fresh wound ran along the middle of his chest. The wound would have been fatal if the Commander hadn't have had to dodge. The golden claw that Genesis had seen inside the pub had finally shown itself as the man delicately checked the damage.

His opponent suddenly looked to him with desperation, wincing more than normal. Then again, he didn't know what normal was by that man's standards.

"Surrender now or I can't promise you'll survive!"

Genesis was dumbfounded. Did he just hear what he thought he just heard? Did the other just plead for _him_ to surrender? He tried not to laugh. He only had a small scratch while the other was sporting a freshly made wound across his chest. Yet he didn't get a chance to question it as the man's face contorted, screaming out against some unknown force.

At first the Commander just assumed it was the workings of a crazy man… until he saw the stranger's wounds burn and heal over as pale skin turned sickly purple. He heard bones snap and twist into inhuman angles. The screaming turned into an echoing howl. The clothes themselves didn't tear from the strain of covering a now larger being, but instead merged into the mold as if it were all one vile entity. There was nothing about the beast before him that even remotely resembled the man from before.

"Oh, my God…"

*0~0*0~0*0~0*

Cloud sighed as he laid in bed.

Zack had come over earlier to collect the Lieutenant for a mission and congratulate him on his promotion to SOLDIER, saying how he'd always known that they'd be fighting together again. They'd chatted for a bit while he was told more about their mission. Though not much more as it seemed they were still smoothing out the details.

He'd just gotten to sleep when noises from outside drew his attention. A particular sound sparked a feeling of familiarity inside him. It was the sound of gunfire. He'd fought with them enough times to know the difference between a sniper weapon and a pistol, which before the war with Shinra it had all sounded the same to him.

There were more gunshots and Cloud's ears pinpointed them to a shotgun, which was odd. How many people in Shinra used shotguns?

The answer was obvious… There weren't any. Neither was anyone allowed to train after hours. This could only mean that an intruder was found inside the base.

There were more shots and Cloud could only recognize them coming from Vincent's favorite gun. It made him hope... what if it was the gunner? There was a possibility that Vincent had been thrown back in time too. There didn't seem to be a set rule that the Materia followed, other than Sephiroth and he were the closest two to it when it had activated, but Vincent was close to it too. He had his fingers crossed as he put his uniform on and headed outside.

He ran, following the sound of battle. He went inside the training building and straight through to the airport. When he finally got back outside, he found himself arriving just in time to witness a miniature version of a behemoth taking a fireball to the face.

The monster… was it Galian? It must have been, for Cloud had never seen another behemoth take to fire the way this one did. Then there was the question as to why Vincent was fighting as Galian when the gunman had sworn after the defeat of Sephiroth and Hojo to never unleash the demons on another human being again.

Yet there was Galian and the Commander sailing through the sky, swiftly falling as the momentum from their attacks failed them.

Rhapsodos landed and went after the behemoth while it was dazed, jumping onto the beast's back while duel wielding small swords.

No, Cloud realized. It wasn't two swords. It was the rapier, and it had been broken in halves. The Commander began to plunge the sharp blades down.

"Vincent!" Cloud called out in an attempted to warn the other, though it proved to be unnecessary as two strange limbs suddenly burst from the creature's shoulder blades. It was fast enough to stop the oncoming assault as they wrapped around Genesis' wrists, successfully immobilizing the attack. Cloud wondered what Vincent had done to counter the Commander's killing blow, but then he caught a glimpse of the bulky restraints that Rhapsodos had fought against.

Thick, mismatched arms with shackled wrists were sticking out from Galian's body. Cloud recognized them; they were a part of the other monster Gigas... though he'd never seen Vincent try a combination before. The gunman had once confessed that it took his full concentration just to control one demon.

But that meant... Vincent must have lost control.

The Commander's cursing was heard all the way from where Cloud stood as his gloved hands glowed. The explosion sent Rhapsodos flying back, but freeing himself nonetheless while Gigas slowly went back inside Galian to keep from getting further damaged.

Cloud was certain that the Commander was the stronger of the two as long as Gigas stayed out, but if Rhapsodos continued to use fire attacks then he'd just get worn out while replenishing Galian's stamina. He didn't want to harm Vincent, but if it was true that Galian was out of control then Rhapsodos might die from this battle.

"Commander!" Cloud yelled to grab his attention. "Stop using Fire!"

His advice was ignored as the beast began to attack again, once more at full strength while Rhapsodos was breathing heavily. Was Galian attacking faster or was the Commander slowing down? It was hard to tell while both were moving faster than he could see.

Genesis' sudden collision with the wall sent Cloud ducking as pieces of debris flew. He began to worry when the other didn't get back up, and the beast roared in triumph over what must have been a successful tail swipe.

The win was short-lived, however, as the behemoth snarled and charged, ready to take the kill. Cloud was finally able to see the pure black irises. It was something he looked at with dread. He'd never seen any of the demons fully out before. Then again, he'd never seen one summoned creature merge out from another before either.

He had to help Rhapsodos, but if it wasn't the Vincent he knew then he doubted he'd be able to stop him. Vincent had once said that he'd slept undisturbed for 30 years. It had to be him... right?

Rhapsodos was still unconscious, surrounded by rubble, and the man didn't look to be getting up anytime soon. Cloud had to find a way to get through to the gunman before anymore blood was spilt.

"Vincent!" He yelled while Galian slowed to a halt, only just now noticing him there on the platform. " You need to make Galian stop before he kills someone!"

The beast made a noise, raspy… almost hissing, and Cloud realized he was being laughed at. The breaths coming from the behemoth's mouth steamed, and he was eyed down like a vulture as drool fell to the ground like a steady stream that sizzled upon the pavement.

He didn't feel anything of Vincent inside the beast in front of him. He hoped that something hadn't gone wrong during the channeling. He could only wish that his words were making it through.

"Vincent-" Cloud was interrupted by the behemoth's enraged snarl. He didn't know why Galian reacted like that.

In his confusion, he only saw the beast for a split second before huge claws and teeth covered his field of vision. He automatically shifted his stance to defense, though he knew it was futile. One hit from Galian was going to kill him either way.

Yet in the same moment there was no purple in his vision at all, no feeling of pain from claws or teeth on his skin. Cloud saw only black and silver appear between him and the behemoth right in the nick of time.

"Sephiroth…" Cloud was shocked.

Galian squealed as the only thing holding back its weight was the sharp edge of Masamune. The behemoth's teeth dug into the closest flesh it could reach as limbs clawed out unmercifully. The General pushed the monster back far enough to deliver a kick powerful enough to send the beast flying.

The monster rolled on the ground upon impact, and once Galian got up it became guarded as it studied its new opponent. It must have sensed something it didn't like, for it turned tail and jumped off of the ledge of the landing strip, disappearing from both of the SOLDIERs' views.

Neither of them saw which way the behemoth ran off to.

"Are you alright?" Sephiroth asked.

Cloud nodded, a bit dazed, as he watched the General lower Masamune. "Yeah, I am, but Rhapsodos hasn't gotten up yet."

They searched the rubble, finding the redhead lying on his side and looking a bit worse for wear. Sephiroth knelt down, lightly touching his arm. "Genesis?"

The Commander's eyes slowly opened, looking disoriented until the pain from his shoulder flared.

"It's just a scratch," the redhead winced out before losing consciousness once more.

Both Cloud and Sephiroth picked him up, each throwing an arm over their shoulders to carry him. The night bugs flew in close tonight, attracted to the scent of blood as the SOLDIERs walked through the streets of Junon. They only moved as fast as they dared, not wanting to jar the Commander's wounds any further as they made it to the hospital. They placed Genesis onto one of the many empty beds and checked the lobby for personnel.

"It doesn't look like anyone's here," Cloud noted, frowning. "Even the emergency rooms are empty."

Sephiroth whipped out his PHS as the blond rechecked the Commander's wounds, taking it upon himself since there was no staff available. Now that they had more light, Cloud could see that the wound looked an angry red… and a bit inflamed, but nothing that couldn't be fixed.

He decided to try and get it cleaned up while they waited for one of the doctors to get there. He felt himself being watched as he cut the leather around Genesis' wound and carefully cleaned around the damage.

"Were you trained as a medic before joining SOLDIER?" Sephiroth wondered.

"No." Cloud kept his answer short, completely focused on what was in front of him.

Sephiroth observed Cloud working with mild curiosity. SOLDIERs had never been given lessons on first aid. They were given Materia for their battles, and if Restore or Heal didn't work then the chances were they'd be dead soon anyways. Yet not every SOLDIER had those Materia equipped as some weapons didn't hold many slots, and SOLDIERs liked to carry the Materia of the destructive type. He could see why this knowledge could come in handy, but where did the other learn it? Could there have been a change to Shinra's policy while he'd been gone?

"Is there something wrong?" Sephiroth asked when Cloud stopped.

"Not that I can tell, but one of the doctors should dress it... just in case."

"Did you learn this while in SOLDIER?"

"No, I…" Cloud hesitated. "Uh, I never…"

"You never what?" he pried, but the question went ignored.

Cloud had done a double take at Genesis' shoulder. The wound itself was clean, but around it were flecks like that of scattered bruises. He didn't think that Genesis had gotten it from Galian, for it looked like a normal bullet wound. He pulled his hand back. The bruising was a bit like Geostigma, but it couldn't be... it wasn't dark enough. The Commander must have been shot directly onto an old wound that was still healing.

"Cloud?"

"He'll be fine," he said as he began cleaning up the mess, waiting for the doctors to come in. He didn't want to talk about not making it into SOLDIER before. It was still a touchy subject. He was thankful when the General only nodded, seeming to understand on some level, and silently relaxed against the wall. A few minutes later, Cloud heard the sound of something heavy hitting the ground. He turned back around to where Sephiroth should have been standing, but the other was lain sprawled out on the hospital floor.

"Sephiroth!?... _Sephiroth_!"

*0~0*0~0*0~0*

The General woke up in a room to the sun's morning rays coming through the window. The area around him was all white. His heartbeat still felt a bit heavy and dull. He remembered what had happened to end up in here again. He had only recognized the signs of poisoning just a few moments before he'd collapsed.

"It's about time you woke up." A friendly voice said from beside him, and Sephiroth shot up in horror before rationality kicked in.

"WOAH! Not so fast!" Angeal yelled as he was forced back down onto the bed. "What's gotten into you?"

Sephiroth looked around the hospital room, remembering then last time he'd woken up in a place like this after being unconscious. Yet there were no flowers here... no cards, no sickly sweet smell of perfumed notes. This was a different room, with a different window, and no horrid balloons covered his view to the outside. Everything was normal. He sighed in relief. For a moment he thought he'd gone back in time again.

"That poison packed one hell of a punch," Angeal chuckled.

"Where's Genesis?" he asked, though talking still felt a bit foreign. His tongue was slightly numb and his mouth felt like he'd got done eating a bag of salt.

"In Hollander's wing. His wound is a bit slow to heal, but at least _he_ didn't try to get himself eaten by a baby behemoth. The doctor said you would've been dead if you were anyone else."

"I doubt Hojo would say that." Sephiroth glared at the ground. Hojo never did give out any type of praise to anyone besides himself and his own accomplishments.

"It wasn't Hojo who checked on you. They said he's been gone for the past few days. Gone to collect more samples, I suppose."

No, he hadn't heard, and he was usually the first to know about Hojo's excavations. He looked around the room once more. "Was anyone else here?"

"Zack came in," Angeal confirmed.

"Oh." Sephiroth didn't know what else he expected.

"And I sent Cloud home." The strange feeling of disappointment left as soon as it came. "It was past curfew. He couldn't stay. I'll give him his punishment later."

"Punishment?" He didn't think that seemed right. The reason he'd ran outside before was only because Gen's presence had suddenly dropped from his senses. Cloud had risked his life for the Commander. If he hadn't been there to stall, then Gen...

Angeal sighed, shaking his head. "Out after curfew, putting himself in the middle of an unauthorized battle he'd clearly lose, unauthorized use of a Heal Materia, vandalism of the staff's emergency case to steal said Materia, blatant refusal to explain how he knew how to use _that particular_ Materia… and that's just the beginning of it."

The Lieutenant sighed again for the umpteenth time since last night. He didn't understand how someone who'd been in the program for less than a month could get into so much trouble. Not even Zack had given him this much of a headache.

"He refused a direct order from one of the doctors. I had to order him out myself. Shinra wants to pull him out of SOLDIER before he receives any mako shots and becomes a possible liability."

Sephiroth was about to say something against the matter, but Angeal continued.

"But the way I see it is he risked his life just to save two overconfident men… and Genesis needs time to ride his ass for ruining his favorite shirt." Angeal smirked in remembrance of what Genesis had said before falling back asleep. "…I got him off easy, but he'll still be taken out of the mentor program."

The General didn't know what to say. It wasn't good news, but it wasn't unbearable. He wondered how Cloud had taken it. He stood up and got ready to leave before any of the doctors got the chance to do any fitness tests on him.

"You know," Angeal started, "it's not unheard of for SOLDIERs to be given the option to rejoin the program. I won't be able to train him, but that doesn't mean I can't give a recommendation. I'm sure someone will take him in."

Sephiroth stilled in strapping his belts at the look Angeal was giving him. "And by 'someone' you mean…"

"I mean you," Angeal spoke frankly.

"You must be joking." The idea was laughable. Him… train the man who had defeated him not only once, but on four separate occasions? "I don't have experience in that field. Why would you even think he'd want to be taught by me?"

Dark eyebrows shot up, and Angeal gave him the 'are you serious?' look. Because who wouldn't want to be trained by the great General Sephiroth? Of course, his friend didn't know the history between the two of them.

The Lieutenant shrugged. "I'm sure there are other Firsts readily available that would love to train him. He's got serious potential. I just thought I'd give you the heads up before it becomes official… give you some time to think it over. Zack's always been saying how muchCloud is a _huge_ fan of yours."

Sephiroth snorted. "I'm sure he isn't one anymore."

"Sephiroth, every man has flaws, even idols," Angeal said in all seriousness as he got up from the waiting chair and opened the door for them. "You saved his life... a couple of times, after all. I'm sure falling unconscious wouldn't affect that."

If only Angeal knew that falling unconscious wasn't the cause for that change. That what he'd done had been so much worse.

"People change," Sephiroth tried to rationalize as they stepped out into the hallway. Whatever else he was going to say was forgotten as soon as he spotted Cloud lounging on one of the waiting chairs right by the door. The blond was asleep, body curled on top of the armrest.

Angeal spoke softly behind him. "Cloud didn't just try to help some idol in time of need, Sephiroth. He went against rules and regulations just to make sure you weren't going to die. He wasn't worried about "The General". He was worried about _you_. Although this is going to make things a bit more difficult... refusing even a mentor's order. The others are going to think twice about training him after this."

The General was only half paying attention as he walked over to the slumbering blond and lifted him up easily. He didn't know why he decided to help, he just did. Maybe being a mentor wouldn't be so bad. To others it would be seen as teaching, but if Cloud accepted then he'd have more freedom to practice on his own skills without the worry of explanations. It wouldn't be too much of a hassle. He turned to find Angeal grinning.

"What?"

"People don't change that much," Angeal shrugged as he took the lead and left the two behind.

Sephiroth could almost laugh at what was said. How could Cloud still harbor any pleasant thoughts towards him when he'd burned down the other's hometown? He didn't remember much, but he knew he did it… Cloud said he did.

He followed after his friend, feeling a little off. He was carrying Cloud bridal style to Angeal's home and, though he still held the blond's weight without any trouble, he found that that young man was a bit heavier than he looked, but that was a good thing. It meant that he was still building lean muscle without the use of mako.

Angeal closed the door to his home while Sephiroth went upstairs to Zack's old room. Not once had Cloud woken up during the walk. He was probably exhausted. Angeal said that the other was always working hard, trying to get stronger for SOLDIER.

Sephiroth laid Cloud down on the bed, taking off the other's boots and carefully placing him inside the sheets. The morning sunlight that slipped through the window shades played with the blond locks. He reached down and brushed the stray strands away, but he didn't take his hand from the other's face.

Cloud's expression wasn't guarded like it usually was. His face held no hint of worry or fear. It was completely relaxed as he sighed a little in his sleep. Sephiroth wondered what he was dreaming about. His home? His friends? Loved ones?

Sephiorth kneeled down on the floor, whispering as to not wake the other. "You had your chance to kill me. You had every reason to... so why didn't you?"

_"People don't change that much."_ Angeal's voice echoed in his head, and now he couldn't look away from the sleeping form in front of him even if he tried. He thought he knew what Cloud wanted, but it turned out that he didn't know as much as he thought.

His hand began moving along the other's face, feeling soft skin and lips as he found himself wanting to lean down a little further.

_No!_ Sephiroth finally gained enough sense to pull back, his heart going a hundred miles an hour in his chest. This wasn't right, and neither did it feel like it was something new. How long had he had this attraction to Cloud, of all people? They weren't friends. They weren't allies. They were enemies, and that already known fact hurt a lot more than it should.

Cloud must have taken a lover during his lifetime. If anything he'd try to search for her again. He wasn't Sephiroth's. So what in the world was he doing?

The General went back downstairs where Angeal was waiting for him. He had only been in the room for a few minutes, but to him it had felt like a lifetime.

*0~0*0~0*0~0*

At 4:45am the alarm went off right by Cloud's head. He sluggishly pulled himself out from the blankets, wondering how he'd gotten there. He assumed that the Lieutenant must have found him and had drug him back here. He should have left when he was told to, but he'd panicked when Sephiroth's breathing had turned irregular. It just wasn't normal.

His Lieutenant had informed him about the consequences of his actions and that he was lucky to have so much hidden talent… otherwise the company would have sent him packing. Yet he didn't have much time to think about it. Today was the morning of the mission, and he had less than 15 minutes to grab his things and be there before the transportation left without him.

As he got to the airport, he found that the damage to the area was practically nonexistent. If he hadn't seen the place before, then he would have missed the drying concrete and new walling that decorated the area. Shinra didn't want anyone to know about the incident… and everyone who did was acting like it didn't happen.

"Hey! Get over here!" hollered Zack from inside the copter. He went over and found his dark spiky-haired friend stuffing a bag underneath a seat.

"What's up?" Cloud looked down at Zack, who smiled so wide his back teeth showed.

"We have our first mission together. Are you all excited and stuff?"

He grinned back, Zack's excitement was contagious. The last time they'd done a job together was during their cadet days, but that was just grunt work. "Yeah, it'll be in my hometown so I-"

"No, not _that_! How are you feeling about being on your first mission with _Sephiroth_? I know guys that got so excited they almost pissed themselves. I know I did!"

Cloud took a brief moment to reflect on those words. "… you did what?"

His friend developed a slight blush from embarrassment. "No, I just meant that I got excited!.. What about you? Feeling psyched about seeing Sephiroth in action?"

"Yeah…" He responded, feeling as if his stomach just flipped over from the question._ "Exhilarated_."

Zack frowned, feeling that something was off. "So anyways, what happened last night? We all heard a bunch of noise outside, but we were told to stay out of it. The next thing we know we're hearing about some SOLDIERs being carried off to the hospital."

"Why do you think I know anything about it?"

"I have a reliable source."

Cloud wondered if he should tell… he didn't want Zack to start snooping around. If anything, he wanted his friend as far away from danger as he could get him, but if he didn't say anything then who knows where Zack would go searching.

"I got there just before a monster brought down Genesis… and Sephiroth got there just in time to save my ass."

"Close one?" Zack asked.

"Like you wouldn't believe…" The proximity of how close those claws and teeth had come to his skin still lingered in his thoughts.

"So it's gone then?"

"Yeah."

"That's really weird," Zack suddenly stated as he crossed his arms, deep in thought.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it was loose in Junon… and strong, but during all its time here it only fought when provoked. That doesn't sound like normal monster behavior to me…"

Cloud gapped. "Why do you think it was loose for a while?"

"Turks," Zack explained. "They've been busy for a while, and they did some weird things at weird times. And then Genesis, who decided to go out for a _random_ walk in a _highly secured_ area, was taken out by a monster."

When said like that it did seem a little suspicious.

"How do you know about Turk business?" he wondered.

"I make sure to keep myself informed." Zack gave a wink, and Cloud couldn't help but notice how Turk-like the other had just sounded. He wanted to ask where Zack got his information, but they were interrupted as the rest of the team began to climb inside.

Sephiroth and Angeal were the last to board the aircraft, taking the last two spots available, and Zack became uncharacteristically withdrawn as the Lieutenant took the seat opposite of them. It was the same as what happened in Sephiroth's apartment the other day…

Angeal gave his old protégé a lingering look before dropping his gaze to a book.

Cloud didn't know what was going on between the two. As far as he knew they'd gotten along quite well. The feeling of awkwardness only grew as Sephiroth took the last seat and sat down next to him.

He could get through this, Cloud thought. The flight was just a few hours.

And the next stop:

Nibelheim

*0~0*0~0*0~0*

***Unknown Area*  
Mount Nibel - Mission - Week 3**

Distant rumbling echoed everywhere as Zack opened his eyes, slowly regaining consciousness, and yet he wondered if he really had them open at all. They felt open, but there was no light… only pitch blackness all around him. His head throbbed as if a flood had swept through it. The air was so cold and bitter it felt like he'd stuck himself inside a freezer and closed the door. He tried getting up, but pain quickly flared throughout his body.

"_Aaaaahhh_!" he cried out, twisting around on the ground as his awareness was slowly coming back. It felt like he was lying on solid ice, he couldn't tell.

He didn't know how he'd gotten there. He didn't know where everyone else was or how he'd gotten separated from them.

He just knew that he'd been on a mission, and something had gone horribly, terribly wrong.

_**To be continued…**_

AN:_ Dun dun duuuun… The next chapter is going to have a lot more of Zack in it. XD_

_I hope you guys liked it, for I've had a lot of time reworking this chapter over and over… again and again. Just like GLaDOS._

_Please Review! (Criticism accepted as long as it's _constructive_...)_


	16. Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt

AN:_ As my word, here's the new chapter today! I hope you guys enjoy it! I had fun writing Zack's part. XD_

_Also, thanks to those who reviewed. I really appreciate the time you take to make one even if you're not logged in, and thank you to the ones who pm'd me even though they already reviewed the last 'ch 14'. It really means a lot to me! I made sure to keep my morning open to get this typed and uploaded just because of that. I love you guys!_

**Ratings**, **Disclaimer**, and _**iWarning**_**!** _might_ be the same.

**Nobody Move, Nobody Gets Hurt  
(By: We Are Scientists)**

**Ch 15**

***Nibelheim* - Mission - Week 0**

**"But there's hardly any snow around,"** Zack mumbled while peering outside the helicopter's window. They were miles above the ground, giving everyone a good view of the area. "I thought I'd get to see some up here…"

Cloud fought the urge to laugh at his fair-weathered friend. "This isn't Icicle Inn, Zack. Most of the snow stays up in the mountains until winter."

The youth gave one more dejected look outside before facing forward.

The Turks landed as close as they could to the town and then helped the SOLDIERs unload. Cloud finally had the opportunity to see who all was with them. Reno and Rude came out from the other chopper. He thought Tseng would be with them too, but the Turk leader wasn't on either of the transports. There were others that he recognized and some that he didn't.

Zack took in a deep breath beside him and let it out in a visible display from the cold air. "Haa, the smell of Cloud's upbringing; livestock and sewer back draft! I suddenly feel homesick."

"Gongaga doesn't smell like this," he disagreed, then immediately scolded himself for saying it. To Zack's knowledge he'd never been to Gongaga before, so how could he have known what it smelled like?

"It doesn't," Zack laughed, not catching the slip. "It smells like hot, dank smoky reactor. The smog gets so thick you can hardly breathe! Man, I'm so glad I'm not living there anymore..."

They each grabbed their packs and headed for town.

Some of the townspeople gathered to watch, and Cloud spotted Tifa within the mass. Her nose was scrunched up as the harsh wind from the copters blew in her face.

"You look happy," Zack stated as he followed Cloud's line of vision. "_Waa'oow_, are you and her… _you know_?"

"No, we're just…" He paused. He couldn't really say friends, not now at least, and he didn't want to explain the fragile relationship he shared with Tifa. They weren't really that close.

Just then a group of guys lined up beside her. He froze, realizing that he recognized every single one of them. Those were Tifa's _real_ childhood friends. They always surrounded her everywhere she went.

There were the twin brothers, and the third coming up from behind was Johnny. Cloud remembered every single taunt and gesture from those guys, and it was only until then that Cloud worried over his choice of clothing. Because he was a bit smaller than most he had to have his SOLDIER uniform tailor-made, so he was the only one in the new group who hadn't received one yet. He was still dressed in navy blue… he still looked like a cadet.

He remembered, when he left Nibelheim he made such a big deal about getting into SOLDIER. He couldn't let them see him like this.

"Cloud, why are you putting your helmet on?"

He finished attaching the straps and tried to look nonchalant. "No reason… I was just… uh… the wind is chilly."

"_Riiight_." Zack looked back to the group, knowing something was up, but Cloud was thankful that the other didn't pry. For some reason, though, Tifa began running their way.

Did she recognized him? He didn't think she saw him put his helmet on, but his anxiety soon faded as Tifa passed by him and stopped in front of Zack.

She smiled girlishly up at the SOLDIER and held out a camera, lightly batting her eyes. "Could you get the General to agree to a picture?"

Cloud gapped at her…he'd nearly forgotten that she used to act like that.

"Pretty please?"

"Uh… sure," Zack answered as he smiled back at her. "Hey, Seph! Come over here and take a picture with us!"

Tifa looked a bit coy… probably because she didn't mention a group photo, but she didn't say anything as the General came forth.

Sephiroth humored Zack's request, and Tifa placed herself between the two dressed SOLDIERs, leaving Cloud on the far end. It was the same thing that had happened last time… the picture of Sephiroth, Tifa, and Zack, and very so subtly he moved away in hopes of not getting caught in the photo… he didn't want to have his picture taken with them. It didn't feel right.

Cloud glanced at the General, wondering if the man found humor in this repetition, but Sephiroth's face was unreadable as he was already looking back at him. Cloud couldn't tell what the other was thinking.

"Say '_cheese'_!"

The camera flashed before the two could look ahead. "Wait, sorry. Let me take that again!" the cameraman requested and began winding the film, but Shinra's General had already departed.

Another SOLDIER called for Zack's attention, calling for the first group to begin their mission. Zack waved goodbye before running to catch up to the others.

He was left there standing by himself as Tifa was already at the cameraman's side, wanting to know if duplicates could be made. After that, she bounced to her group of friends and began chatting excitedly.

"She seems familiar," Sephiroth said as he casually stepped in from behind, and Cloud prided himself in the fact that the other's sudden appearance didn't make him jump like it did before. He was beginning to grow used to the General's movements.

"Yeah, that's Tifa. She was the one to recruit me into Avalanche. She's not the same as she was. She'd grown up a lot after…"

He didn't want to mention it, not while they were _there_. He looked up in time to see a smug expression on the other's face.

"You're telling me about someone I didn't recognize… You're beginning to trust me."

Cloud gapped and couldn't help but deny it. That was the last thing he needed… for him to start trusting again. "That doesn't mean anything. I'm sure you would have made the connection sometime."

"…" The General's face turned expressionless and he felt like he was being studied once more. It made him remember the look he was given during the photo.

"What made you recognize her?" Cloud wondered as they headed toward the inn with their bags in hand.

"I just thought she seemed familiar."

"Is that why were you acting so strange during the picture?"

"No, the picture just felt like it had happened before." Sephiroth shrugged. "Like déjà vu."

Sephiroth stopped when Cloud had fallen back, and within reason. He was repeating what Sephiroth had said in his head, feeling somewhat like he was treading down an unpleasant road as he repeated it to himself out loud. "Déjà vu?"

Sure, the feeling happened to Cloud plenty of times before, but it wasn't déjà vu. He knew he got that feeling only because it _had_ already happened before, and no matter how much it felt like it… it was never actually déjà vu.

But for Sephiroth to actually believe it…

The gears turned as everything clicked into place. The questions asked, the responses given, the way the General was interested in certain things and yet somehow remained apathetic.

Cloud figured it out. Sephiroth wasn't just walking around _acting_ like he'd done nothing wrong… the other had no memory of it.

"Cloud?"

"You don't remember what happened during meteor, do you? You don't remember anything..."

*0~0*0~0*0~0*

Sephiroth's step faltered as he just made it passed the entryway to the inn. He never thought that Cloud would believe it, nevertheless throw it out there in the open like that. Yet even though Cloud had figured it out all on his own, and seemed willing to believe in the idea, Sephiroth wondered why he couldn't let the truth finally come out.

"I remember everything perfectly fine."

"You're lying!" Cloud growled, baring his teeth. "Is that why you act the way you do… because you can't remember what you've _done_?"

Sephiroth stared ahead unresponsively. What he'd done? What all _had_ he done? He'd be lying to himself if he said that it didn't constantly bother him to know he'd done terrible things and yet had no memories to feel the need to atone. He couldn't reprimand himself for it…

"You can't remember… that's why you've been asking all those questions."

Cloud was figuring it out, and that was bad. Sephiroth had to think of a way to stop him. "There's no way you can know anything based off of _guesses_. Whatever silly little theory you've come up with is completely wrong." He warned and tracked up the stairs to the bedroom, leaving the other on the first floor. Hopefully Cloud would take those words into consideration.

He walked into the bedroom and saw a newspaper left on the dresser meant for travelers. Sephiroth decided to do a bit of light reading on the Nibel Times. There might be a story on a beast sighting, if he was lucky.

After a while, he could hear footsteps slowly trudging up the stairs. He'd almost begun to think that the other had gone back into town. There was a pause and, after a moment, Cloud came through the door.

"Weren't you going to visit your friends and family?" Sephiroth asked, insinuating that he wanted to be left alone. He should've figured that the hint would be ignored.

"I killed you." It was whispered, barely loud enough to be heard by even his SOLDIER hearing.

"Excuse me?" Sephiroth did a double take as he looked back up from his paper. The other just stood there gazing at the floor.

"But you kept coming back…" The blond's voice sounded strained. "Time after time."

"If you came to apologize, then save it. There's no need."

"I'm not here to apologize!" Cloud snapped. "I just want to know the truth!"

"What truth?" Sephiroth hissed out. He'd had enough of this talk. Over and over again it was the same thing. He burned down villages, he murdered people… he tried to destroy _Gaia_. "Do you want to hear about it coming from the source?"

"No! I just…" Cloud shook his blond head, trying to keep his cool. "Did she control you… like you tried to do to me?"

It was an odd question. He never tried to control Cloud. Sephiroth didn't know what the other was talking about, and it appeared to have been shown in his face for the anger came back tenfold.

"And you don't even remember _that_! Tell me, _Sephiroth_, what _do_ you remember?"

"I remember everything perfectly _fine_!" He angrily tossed the paper off to the side as he got up.

"No, you don't!"

"And what could have possibly given you that idea?" He challenged. The other's assumption probably wasn't even based on facts. It had to have been a lucky guess... something that he could resolve.

"Because you never asked me that question. The one that you'd always taunted me with for _years_ after the first time you came back!"

Sephiroth was taken aback by the outburst, some of it by the volume, mostly because he didn't know how to respond. Cloud, too, stopped. There was a moment of silence as they both realized how loud they were getting.

He had to inquire, and dropping his tone he asked, "What question would that be?"

"While we were fighting, you always used to taunt me … ask about how I'd gotten so strong, like you knew something then that I don't think you remember now."

Sephiroth didn't know how to respond. Had he really thought that no other SOLDIER could ever defeat him? Had the idea been really that incomprehensible back then? Sephiroth acknowledged his flaw while under Jenova's control. He didn't remember any of it… didn't think that he'd be capable of being that egocentric. "I was undefeated until then. I should have known that someday another SOLDIER would be able to match me."

Sephiroth knew he said the wrong thing when Cloud looked defeated. He mentally kicked himself for not knowing how to fix it.

"Sephiroth… I never... I never made..."

He never made what? Cloud appeared to have a difficult time voicing his thoughts, and Sephiroth was getting aggravated. He didn't want to carry on with this conversation anymore. He wanted to end it as fast as he could before anything else that he'd rather keep secret was blown. He could admit to what Cloud had already figured out, but the truth could still be twisted in his favor.

"You're right about one thing. My memories are faded," Sephiroth confessed, interrupting whatever Cloud was going to say. "I only remember bits and pieces, but the rest of your assumptions are only that… _assumptions_."

He walked passed Cloud and stepped out into the hallway, fully intending to sleep in the other room tonight while the Turks were gone. He closed the door behind him. For once in his life, he felt indecisive. He had been prepared to live the rest of his days in this fabricated lie.

After Jenova had been defeated, nobody had known that he had been just a pawn in her scheme. Even now they would have continued to fear his name, spit upon his grave, and believe him to be the true evil.

No one would have known… not even the hero of Gaia, who defeated both queen and pawn. Cloud was beginning to see the meaning behind it, and Sephiroth realized that the one other person who now knew the truth was the one he wanted to keep it the furthest away from. How would it feel to kill someone in the name of justice, only to find out later that they were innocent? Somewhere, deep down, he'd always known how the other would react.

Sephiroth wanted to go back in, but he was uncertain of what he was supposed to say now. No, he knew what he wanted to say. There was so much to apologize for... so much to explain. He just didn't know how to say it.

He leaned against the wall in defeat, hearing a choked sob coming from the other side. There was the illusion that he could still keep. He felt it best if his words went unheard.

"_I'm sorry_."

*0~0*0~0*0~0*

***Mount Nibel* - Mission - Week 3**

"I still don't see why Seph and Cloud aren't with us," Zack complained as the group walked along the side of a snowy slope, shivering even though he was clothed for winter conditions. He wasn't used to this cold temperature. Living in Gongaga, he only got to see glimpses of snow in magazines, and the closest Junon got to it was just freezing rain. "And why send up a bunch of rookie SOLDEIRs if they're going to deny Cloud?"

Angeal ignored his shivering companion and continued on. He'd already learned that a cold Zack was not a happy Zack. They were all bundled up in suits to protect them from the snow, but it was apparent that it helped some more than it did others.

"We've been on the move since dawn," one of the newbies spoke up. None of them were prepared for the abundance of arctic weather accompanied by so little oxygen that came with the elevation. "Will we be setting up camp soon?

He would have told them the answer if he knew, but he wasn't the one that plotted the safe zones. He left that to the professionals, for on the treacherous mountain range, one miscalculated move could endanger lives.

The Lieutenant checked his watch. It was nearing late evening. He hoped that they'd reach their checkpoint soon, but the Turk accompanying them didn't say anything.

"Soon," he told the newbie.

"That's what you said last time," the rookie mumbled, "and the time before that… and the time before that too."

"Where _is_ the checkpoint?" one of the others questioned. Angeal looked at the Turk again, who pointed to the other SOLDIER accompanying them, motioning that _he_ was that one who knew where the points were, but the other First just kept moving silently forward.

"Soon," Angeal repeated.

Zack's shoulders slumped along with the rest of them. It wasn't going to be long before sunset, and that's when it got below zero. He knew that Zack, being used to the heat of Gongaga, hadn't understood how below freezing could possibly get colder until now.

Clouds formed around them like an ominous fog, slowly growing thicker as night drew nearer. Zack waved a hand through it, amazed when he wasn't picking up any visual precipitation.

They slowed when the SOLDIER came to a halt. "This is our spot," the man stated.

The rookies sighed in relief and unpacked their bags, pitching up the large tent while the SOLDIER Firsts did the detail work. Angeal inspected the construction and deemed it stable. The tent was large enough to fit fifteen grown men and made with waterproof poly-fibers to keep out the wind and snow. The rugs kept out the cold and created inner walls to create a sense of privacy, and extra poles were spread out to help support the added weight.

Zack drew the short end of the stick and was the first to be put on stove duty, melting snow to give them all fresh drinking water.

Angeal sat down by their Turk companion, wanting to keep his words below hearing range. "Are you sure they marked this as the right spot? There are peaks surrounding us, completely covered in snow. If one comes down, they all could."

"I know," the Turk replied, seeming equally on edge. "I would have at least waited to get through this area, but it's not possible. We need to stop here before the sun sets or we'll freeze to death."

He sighed. The Turk was right, but something was still bothering him. Why did Shinra create a scouting path that sent them through such an area, and why with such an odd group composition? They had three Firsts, a Turk, and a bunch of green SOLDIERs.

Zack did make a valid argument. Why didn't they bring Cloud up here upon the off chance the young man knew the area? Did Shinra even ask? Even if he didn't, at least Cloud would have been used to the weather. It's not like the unenhanced SOLDIER would have slowed them down either, what with them having multiple SOLDIERs who just reached Third Class... and never in all of Angeal's years of service had he ever known Sephiroth to be brought in as backup. It had the Lieutenant wondering.

The moment was cut short as he thought he heard a noise outside. Before he could pinpoint where it came from, one of the new Thirds threw back part of the blanketed wall. "What was that?"

"What was what?" the Turk wondered while Angeal slowly got up, motioning for silence. It couldn't have been the monster that they've been looking for. It sounded too deep… too distant.

"Hey!" Zack shouted, coming in through the front of the tent. "Did you guys hear that?"

"Yeah," he spoke as he glanced outside, relieved to find the peaks still intact. A toppling mountain was the last thing he wanted to see. "That almost sounded like a…"

He paused as he caught sight of Zack. His old protégé was staring wide-eyed passed him, frozen, and he turned to look. There in the back area of the tent was the other First, and the man had a detonator in hand.

"Bomb?" the First finished his sentence for him, smiling while grinning down at the remote. Angeal didn't understand… that First Class was in Genesis' unit.

"Why?" Zack spoke the question out loud, thinking the same thing. Wasn't every man tested for mental health after every mission... after every mako testing?

"I have one more to set off," the man informed. "Then it all comes down."

"Richard," Angeal spoke as he took an unconscious stepped forward, causing the other First to step back in anxiety. The Lieutenant froze where he was. He didn't want the man to get scared. He didn't want the bomb to be set off. The only thing he could do at this point was try to make the other see reason. "Put the detonator down… _it'll kill you too!_"

Richard began to weep outside his smile, seeming torn between two emotions. The man appeared to be having some sort of nervous breakdown. "I know… I _know_, but she needs me to do it."

"She?" Zack questioned in a comforting voice. The Lieutenant noticed Zack slowly walking up, trying a more inconspicuous way to get to the detonator than what he'd done. "She who? Who wants you to do this?"

"She…" Richard looked lost, almost confused, and then shook his head. "She wants to put an end to the failures before they have a chance to ruin everything again."

"Failures? Ruin what?" Zack turned to see if he might have any clue on what the other was talking about, but he didn't… no one did, not even the Turk.

"Richard," Angeal began, attempting to get the man's attention so that Zack could get closer. He also wanted the other First to look away from the little device. "You just need some vacation time. Just a little rest and relaxation. We'll get you to someplace nice… like Costa Del Sol."

"Failures…" Richard murmured, but the smile didn't hide the fear in the man's eyes. "Never picked the right ones the last times… but there's a good one…_ a perfect one_."

"Richard," he continued, "who wants you to do this?"

Richard slowly lifted his glowing eyes to them. What used to be considered his normal brown irises had somehow become a slit green, and Angeal felt alarm as they reminded him of when Sephiroth and he crossed paths that one night in the Shinra halls.

"This is for…" Richard dropped eye contact as he focused back onto the detonator. "_Reunion_."

Zack and he immediately dove in, using their SOLDIER speed to try and stop the other from pressing the button, but it was too late. They all heard the bomb go off. Richard collapsed as he allowed himself to be tackled to the ground.

"Zack?" Angeal questioned.

"He's dead…" His protégé said after checking the other's pulse. "How is he dead? What…"

"There's no time for questions!" the Turk interrupted. "The mountain's coming down! We need to get out of here! _Now_!"

*0~0*0~0*0~0*

Zack didn't really know what to think, it almost felt like he couldn't. Richard was alive for one moment and then dead the next. Mechanically, he began following the others, but then he found himself trying to locate the Turk bags instead.

"Zack, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Angeal yelled from behind. He'd only gotten a hold of three packs before his collar was grabbed and he was forced out of the tent. There were quite a few left behind. He didn't know if he grabbed the right one…

"_Run_!" Angeal hollered at him, and it seemed to snap whatever trance he was in. They both ran in a dead sprint while the Lieutenant grabbed two bags to lighten the load. They had to go faster. They had to get away…

Zack chanced a look behind them, and then immediately wished that he hadn't. The avalanche was forming faster than he thought was possible and gaining speed.

"Dive for it!"

He heard the order, but he didn't understand. His confusion must have been evident because Angeal guided him to the side until he finally saw it. There was an entrance to what looked like an alcove partially hidden by snow. It would keep them safe… at least from the impact.

They dove into what they found to be a small cave just moments before the wave came crashing down around them. The snow covered the entrance and fell inward, leaving no room for even a shred of light, but it didn't go any further in than a few feet. A feeling of relief overpowered him. He felt like he'd just cheated death.

"Holy shit…" he breathed out as laughter took hold. They just _outran_ an _avalanche_. He couldn't wait to tell his friends!

"Let's get out of here," Angeal voice came off to his side in the dark.

Zack nodded in agreement before he realized that it would go unseen and went to get up, but just as he put his full weight on one knee a hollow creak was heard echoing around them. The sound reminded him of glass.

"Don't move!" Angeal warned.

He didn't know what they were standing on, but he only hoped it was thick. He followed Angeal's order to a T and didn't move an inch, only the sound continued as the snow from the avalanche was settling and pushing more weight onto the ground.

"Grab hold of the walls!" Came the next order.

Zack was instantly on the move as they blindly searched for something to hold on to. The breaking was sounding dangerously close to shattering, and unfortunately his wall was too brittle to support any of his weight. He didn't have time to search the other side. He cried out as the ground gave way underneath his feet, making him freefall into the dark abyss below.

The last thing he heard was Angeal calling out his name.

….

*0~0*0~0*0~0*

…

Dark

Cold

Hurt

Those were Zack's thoughts as he woke up alone. Where ever he was, it was pitch-black. He couldn't see a thing even with his enhanced sight.

The fur lining from his hood tickled his numbing cheeks, and his shoes that were made from the heaviest of leather didn't help to keep his feet from feeling frozen. He'd never been dressed in anything so warm before, never had the need to… so why was he still so cold? The air nipped at his face, and his body shook as the chill seeped in through the heavy clothing. He wanted to curl up and absorb any type of body heat that could be retained, but he knew that was a bad idea. Where ever he was, he had to find a way out before it was too late!

Zack tried to guess his way on the ground with his gloved hands, blindly searching for anything that could be of some use. Every move he made echoed on forever around him. He even thought he could hear the sound of ice crystals singing from above, blending in with the deep rumble that came from somewhere deep within the cave.

He winced as his hand ran into something, sending a painful shock through his entire arm. He shook it off and went to investigate. It didn't feel as if it were native to the place… He felt around, being forced to take off his gloves to feel the texture, but it was pointless. The item felt like sandpaper against his freezing skin.

"What the…" He found what he thought was a loose piece of binding coming out from it.

It was a bag! After he realized this he grinned as he clumsily felt for the zippers and pockets. He never thought he'd be so happy to have anything that was Shinra issued as much as he did right then.

He remembered how he'd gotten here now. The minerals inside the mountains were causing too much interference with the helicopters' controls so Angeal, he, and the rest of the team had to foot it by the time they got to Mount Nibel. There was an avalanche… he fell through a hole in a cave, but how long had he been unconscious afterwards… minutes? Hours? It wouldn't surprise him if it was the later.

He searched the contents of the pack as thoroughly as he could, but it was difficult to distinguish what lay inside. Zack had hoped the pack contained the distress signal, but he figured that what was inside was just climbing gear.

After a while of being stuck… where ever he was, he noted that the rumbling that echoed around him wasn't going away. He knew it couldn't have been the noise from the avalanche. He heard enough about them to know they didn't last very long, at least not in one spot. The noise continued to reverberate off of the cave walls in a continuous hum, and he hoped that didn't mean there'd be another collapsed floor... or a cave-in.

He continued to blindly crawl through the darkness, using his hands to search out a safe path. He paused when he came across a hole. It was where the noise seemed to come from… where it grew the loudest, and it sounded pretty far down there.

Zack tried to swallow, but even that backfired as it made him choke. His throat came back feeling as if he'd just choked down cotton, yet it was a horrible wet cough. For the first time in his life Zack felt scared. He didn't know if Angeal had made it. He didn't know if he could climb to the roof of the cave and dig himself out, or if the walls were even stable enough to try.

He forced down his worries and followed the steep incline to another wall. He hoped that it wasn't just circling him back around. To make matters worse he couldn't even tell where he'd been.

"Damn it," he cursed. "Damn it, damn it…"

It was getting so hard, he was so cold, but he had to strengthen his resolve and continue to search. He had to find a way out.

His hand bumped against another object. It wasn't a pack, but it didn't seem to be part of the cave either. Zack tried moving it and was shaken when a grunt came forth. His breathing stopped, hoping he didn't just wake up a monster. He didn't have his Buster with him.

A groan came, this time sounding more human to him now that he was listening.

"Angeal?" He questioned, thinking he recognized the tone, but there was no answer as the other lay unconscious. He reached out, finding the chest and feeling it up to the face to try and see who it was from touch alone. He was met with a strong jaw and scruffy chin. The body below him suddenly jerked awake.

"Damn it, Zack! You're hands feel like ice!"

"Angeal!" He was so glad he felt like laughing even as the tenor of his old mentor scolded him. He brought his hands to his core, trying to warm them as much as he could. He'd found Angeal and now everything seemed that much more bearable.

"Zack, are you crying?"

That question made him want to laugh even harder. It was the strangest thing to ask, and he wondered about it until his breath caught in his throat… he'd just choked back a sob. When had he started crying?

"I don't know." He was confused, just now noticing the ice forming down his face from tears. "...I could only find one pack."

There was silence for a moment. He knew his answer was irrelevant and he wondered what the other was thinking.

Angeal spoke. "…I landed on one."

There was a pained wince as he helped the other sit up. "Are you ok?" he asked.

"Yeah, that's just gonna leave a bruise…" He heard a sudden hiss of pain as his movements accidentally put more weight on Angeal's back.

"What's wrong?" Zack began to worry again as he heard the other scoot to the side and off the pack.

"Nothing." was the only response given. "What's in the bag?"

He decided to leave the issue this one time, also wondering as to what the pack held for them. He dug out what he could grab while explaining it out loud. "Feels like blankets, I think some waterproof stuff, and… what's this?" He curiously messed around with a cylindrical object until it turned on. A brilliant light shot in his face and he cried out in pain as it lit up a portion of the cave.

"_Ow_…" He rubbed his light-blinded eyes.

Angeal chuckled. "Do we have anything else?"

"There's another pack that has some climbing gear…" He said as he brought his hands away from his eyes, his vision coming back as he stared down at his red hands. "Blood?"

He looked closer and checked for cuts, but he wasn't bleeding. Where'd he get the blood from? The only things he touched so far were the packs and…

"Angeal?" he questioned.

"It's just a scratch," the Lieutenant said as he put two and two together, but there was a lot of blood on his hands from just a scratch. He scooted closer and carefully leaned on the leg he'd bumped into earlier. "Zack, _don't_!"

He watched as Angeal held in a pained grunt as weight was again put onto the leg. That couldn't have been from just a scratch...

The other finally gave in. "It just needs a splint."

They looked around with the flashlight, finding nothing except for the bag and blankets. Zack barely even knew how to make a splint in the first place. He grabbed hold of the bottom of a pack, ripped it off, and broke it into a few pieces. Then he grabbed hold of the polyester fibers and tore that into strips.

He hesitated as realization dawned on him. "I've never put a splint on before."

"I'm sure you'll do fine," Angeal reassured.

As he began, Zack could tell that Angeal was trying not to give any indication of being in pain, though he knew it must be hurting like hell. He finished quickly by tying the knots as tight as he dared against the outside of the clothes.

"I think it's done."

Angeal looked over the job, nodding as he deemed it sufficient. "Thanks."

"Are you hurt anywhere else?" He wondered.

"No." Came a quick reply as Angeal grabbed the flashlight to also check out their surroundings. Their vision fell on an empty space in the ground. "What's over there?"

"A steep drop… dunno what's down there though," Zack said as he helped Angeal get to his feet. "Does your leg hurt that much?"

"My leg is fine now," Angeal said and limped over to the crevice. He followed, immediately putting an arm over his shoulder to help. The drop was further than either one had anticipated. There was about a two hundred foot drop between them and the ground below, and there wasn't anything down there besides ice and snow. It didn't matter anyways. On the other side of the gap was just another wall of ice.

They checked all around, but they only found themselves sealed in. They were trapped here…

"What's that?" Angeal asked right when his hope was beginning to fade. The light showed something hanging from the opposite wall.

"It's a Turk pack."

"You grabbed a Turk pack?"

"Yeah." He nodded. "Didn't you say that the Turks carried the trackers and that stuff? It just felt like a good idea to grab it. I don't know if I got the right one though…"

"And you said you found climbing gear?"

He nodded, following Angeal's line of thinking and mentally calculated the distance between them and the pack. If he climbed straight across, then the one rope they had should be just enough to reach, but before he could begin he found Angeal trying the rope around himself, preparing to across the wall instead.

"What are you doing? You can't do a sideways climb with that type of injury!"

"I'm going vertical," Angeal informed.

"There's not enough length for that distance…"

"When I get down, I'll use the rope to work my way up the other wall. Then I'll- Zack," Angeal growled when he took the bag. "Give the rope back to me."

"No." He hid it behind his back, though it didn't work out too well as the pack was bigger than he was wide... but out of sight, out of mind… right? He couldn't let Angeal endanger himself when he could do it safer and faster.

"Zack, it's fine," Angeal tried to reason. "I've done this plenty of times before."

"So have I."

"During training exercises," Angeal corrected, "while in a safe and secure environment."

"And without a leg wound," he countered. "Angeal, I can do this. I _know_ I can!"

It took a moment, but the other finally gave in. "Fine, but you're following my orders and I'm going to spot you."

"Alright," he agreed to the simple circumstances and brought out the rope, "but don't worry. Nothing could possibly go wrong!"

Angeal helped strap him up, making sure the rope was good and that the knot was secure.

"Ready?" Angeal asked, setting the light down to create a visible path along the wall to see.

He nodded and began his journey to the other side. It was easy enough. Take a step, find a hold, place a hook into the ice to give room for error, slip the rope in, and repeat. The only problem was that the further he got away from the ledge, the harder it was to find a solid grip. The wall was becoming just as brittle as it had been on the surface.

He was almost to the bag when his grip slipped as the ice gave way. He fell, sliding down along the wall. Zack didn't worry at first. The same thing happened during training exercises. He was mentally prepared to take unexpected falls, but then the sudden tightening of the rope caused the first hook to snap from too much stress… then another… and another. Soon he realized that none of his safety hooks were working. He was really falling!

Zack could hear the cave's rumble growing louder as he swiftly approached the bottom, and he panicked as he didn't know if Angeal could gather all that slack in time…. there'd been a lot of distance between them.

He could faintly see the ground as it was coming up fast and knew he that he was going to land hard, but if he landed right he could probably survive, even with a few broken bones.

His feet stung as they struck the floor, and he was about to follow through with the movement until the ground collapsed yet again from under him, but this time there was no air to fall through into and the thunderous roaring surrounded him.

He cried out in shock, but only silent bubbles formed from his mouth as water quickly replaced air. It was like being submerged in icy death. He could only continue to grip the rope as all his other motor functions ceased. His bones locked and his muscles tightened as freezing liquid encompassed him.

It was only when the rope became taught that he realized there was a current trying to pull him further down… and it was strong, judging by the way it felt like he was being sucked in by an enormous vacuum.

His lungs burned with the need for oxygen, and he didn't know if it would be possible to be pulled out at all. He'd been under for so long that he didn't think he'd be able to breathe the air again…

His head broke the surface of the water and he gulped down air as his fingers buried themselves into the closest wall.

"Zack, are you ok?" He heard Angeal yell out from above as they both worked to pull himself out. "... Zack?!"

It took a moment for his senses to kick in, but in due time he realized he should respond. "Yeah, I'm alright!"

"I'm going to pull you up!"

"NO!" he yelled back. He was already to the other side. All he had to do was climb up and grab the bag. If he was pulled back now then they'd just be back to where they'd started from. "Angeal, I can do it! I can get the bag!"

"…"

"_Angeal_!"

There was a brief pause. "Are you sure?"

"Yes… just trust me!" Zack waited, but when no reply came he took it as the affirmative to continue. His body shook, his teeth chattered, and he could feel his joints grinding against one another… any feeling that was left in his hands was now gone as he dug his fingers into what he thought were holes in the ice. At least he could pull himself up now.

And, just like that, he scaled the wall. It was a bit trickier once he made it to the bag, but he balanced himself and slipped the straps around his arms one by one. And then he turned around.

The journey back went by in a haze. He was forced to stop when his cough made him feel breathless and he wasn't sure if it was just his imagination or if the pause between steps was growing longer. He could feel a slight pull on the rope as Angeal made sure not to rush him, but also made sure there wasn't as much slack as before. Zack knew that with every step the ledge was growing closer each time… though he couldn't see it because of the light that blinded his direction. He was being careful, and hearing Angeal's voice brought him out of strange stupors as he continued his journey. He hardly noticed when two arms came into view to pull him to safety.

"Zack… Zack say something!"

He was fine.

The pack was set aside, and he was too rigid to move himself as he was forced to stand this way and that while also trying to pay attention to what Angeal was saying. He was just so _cold_. He should have let Angeal do it. Even with the training, he'd somehow managed set the hooks in wrong.

"Zack, you've-"

His body could hardly move. The rest of his gear was being taken off, and he might have felt grateful if it didn't feel as if thousands of tiny sharp knives were scraping across his skin. He should help, but he really only felt like standing there as it was done for him.

"_-stay awake!_"

...

...

...

...

He was so cold, but he was also dry and there were blankets wrapped all around him. Were these extra clothes? Where had they gotten them from?

…

...

...

...

There was a cheek pressed against his neck and strong arms held onto him tightly. Though he was still freezing, Zack could feel heat coming from underneath him. He tried to snuggle closer to it, but gave up when he decided that it was too cold to make the attempt.

…

...

...

...

He couldn't tell time in the darkness of the cave. He wondered how long he'd been awake. He hadn't gotten any sleep since he'd been here. Neither of them had.

…

...

...

...

"Angeal?" He thought that maybe the Lieutenant had gone to sleep, but after a while the other responded.

"Yeah?"

"I never lied to you." That's not what he wanted to say. Well, it was, but that wasn't what was important right now.

"…_I believe you._" It was heard clearly, being said right by his ear. He wanted to cry… he had thought that Angeal had begun to hate him.

"Angeal?" He tried to turn his head to look at the other man. He tried to find words once more, but they seemed to have abandoned him again. So he just leaned his head back to retake its place on the soft shoulder.

...

...

...

...

He gazed up when sunlight appeared from above them like a golden arrow piercing through the dark. Blurry shapes fell from the ceiling and began to speak once they landed, but it was so jumbled that it may as well have been a different language. He blearily looked to Angeal to confirm if what he was seeing was real, but the other was asleep. He wondered when that happened. Weren't they speaking to each other just a few seconds ago? It worried him a little. He heard that falling asleep in the cold could cause heart failure. It was why they were told to keep people suffering from hypothermia awake... so their heartbeat didn't drop. He tried to move his arm, but it was wrapped up in blankets. He could only shiver. He'd been trying his best to stay awake.

He was so tired.

...

...

...

...

_**To be continued…**_

AN:_ You like, yes?_

_As for the next chapter… well, let's just say that Sephiroth _might_ take a little trip to the mansion. *Insert evil laughter here* Er.. at least that's what I'm planning on. No guarantees._

_Please Review! (Criticism accepted as long as it's _constructive_...)_


	17. Feel Good Drag

AN: _I added a little scene to chapter 14 from when Sephiroth took Cloud home after Genesis' fight with Galian. It was going to be told in a future chapter, but now I feel like it would just be misplaced. Other than that there hasn't been any big changes to make note of... besides getting rid of some scenes that I deemed unnecessary when doing a full read through. Nothing that ruins the story though! This chapter is__ also unbeta'd and most likely full of errors as I'm rushing a little bit because I don't have much time until I have to leave again. I have more info about this in my profile if you're interested!_

**Ratings, Disclaimer,** and **_iWarning_!** will_ never be the same_... just kidding. It is.

**Feel Good Drag  
By: Gorillas**

**CH 16**

**Sephiroth had been staying** inside the inn, contemplating about one troubling blond. It was strange how Cloud had always left the room with his helmet on and never seemed to speak to anyone... not even that girl he knew. The other had always gone with a purpose and had come back right after. Sephiroth reminisced on their brief time together. They seemed to had reached a type of understanding, actions that had spoken louder than words, but that short union was over with now.

Perhaps it would be better to tell Cloud the truth. A part of him was yearning for it, urging to come clean with thoughts of that continued alliance, but another part was uncertain. Was Could really trustworthy? Was it all just an act? Cloud may not have killed him when he fell from the poison, but the blond may just be waiting until Jenova was taken care of. Just how far did Cloud's loyalty lie? He was too worried, had to clear his head... think rationally before he began to over think.

He had to get out of here.

Sephiroth left the room that the innkeeper had originally assigned to the Turks. He thought that maybe taking a walk would cure his overactive mind. He came to the window located in the short hallway. He'd been looking out of it earlier when Cloud had come up the stairs, and then the other had quickly turned away to avoid confrontation. Tension was high, but then again he couldn't argue that this window didn't have a magnificent view. It was the only one on this floor that didn't have trees growing around it. Open prairie was shown for miles around and then further out laid towering mountain peaks surrounding the area.

The mountains themselves were what separated this small town from most civilization. It made the elderly more eager to be set in their ways as they micromanaged the youths. Everybody knew everybody. Nobody wanted to be the topic of criticism, or have their child's actions reflect poorly on their parenting skills. It was too easy to see how this town had become stuck in an older time and why it never developed with the rest of the world.

Though he had originally planned to pass by, he paused as he caught sight of a new scene. It was snowing. It was easy to see how the area of Nibelheim, though the town itself was upopular, was known for its beauty as well as it's cold...

Like Cloud.

He could admitted to himself that he found Cloud attractive, but just like the town the blond came from Cloud had grown distant to those around him. The younger man kept himself guarded, even around old friends such as Zack. It was hard to notice, seeing as how the two hardly spent time together since Cloud's SOLDIER training, but Sephiroth could see it. Watching him hide away from people he knew since childhood only confirmed it. It was in the way the other walked, the way his smile didn't reach his eyes as it did when he'd been a simple cadet.

He wanted Cloud, but he wanted everything. He wanted those smiles turned towards him. He wanted to walk by Cloud's side and feel as if walking with Genesis or Angeal. He wanted to talk to Cloud. When Sephiroth had been carrying him the other day... it felt right. He wanted more of that, but he was being selfish. Even the fights they had were looked upon like fond memories, but what type of want was this? Friendship? Companionship?

One day, maybe after Jenova was stopped, maybe they would even become comrades. But there was still the main issue, Sephiroth was aware. Jenova still had to be stopped either way. He decided this long ago... so what had he been doing until now?

Oh, yeah. Cloud had distracted him. Since day one Sephiroth had been developing a plan to take care of it, but somewhere along the line Cloud had taken priority. Ever since the first time he spotted the other all thoughts of what was important had fled out the window. The General shook his head. He needed to get back on the right track. He needed to find out how, and when, Jenova had taken control of him. It had all began here... in Nibelheim.

He tried to remember what the town had looked like after he'd burned the place to the ground. It came to him, but it was vague... the brightness of a flame. It was a memory that left as quickly as it came, but it was the first time that something from his past had felt almost tangible. He didn't remember anything from then, but he knew he wanted to. Needed to. What had happened on the day he'd destroyed this small town?

The window, cold as the chill seeped in from the outside, was fogged along the edges. It framed a picturesque view of the dark mansion resting at the base of the mountains. He watched as a large snowflakes fell onto the glass. It had been snowing on that day too.

It had? Yes, he remembered now, though only a bit. The cold air, the snow... it was a memory. Maybe what he could remember about before could help him fight off Jenova's influence now. If he remembered how it started then he could find a way to stop it. It was worth trying. At this point, anything was worth trying.

He left the hallway and went down the stairs and out the front door of the inn. He vaguely heard a man great him as he left, and he felt everyone's eyes on him as he walked through the streets. It hardly phased him. It was something he'd long grown accustomed to. His boots crunched in the freshly fallen snow as he moved through the town. Last time he'd taken a guide up the mountain, but he knew which trail to take now as he headed to the abandoned mansion.

The old estate was the same as he remembered... cold, just like everything else here, but the inside smelled of decay. There were water stains on the ceiling from where the roof continued to leak, and the walls were warped and damaged from when the pipes had long since burst. The floorboards were old and neglected, they creaked and groaned as he walked up the staircase to enter one of the smaller rooms. There was a switch somewhere along the rock wall there. He searched for it, feeling along the crevices. He was slightly curious as to how he'd have known about it before, but it was just a stray thought, a trivial matter that was quickly forgotten.

The gears clicked and the door slid open. Sephiroth quickly brought a hand up in disgust as he was immediately bombarded with an older, stronger smell of mildew coming from the basement. Broken steps spiraled down into the depths, daring anyone to walk on them in their weakened state. He'd taken the first step without realizing, maneuvering down with a mechanized sense of familiarity.

The basement floor was covered in dirt and dust, and the walls were gradually falling away. He kept walking forward to an area he knew was straight ahead. The memory that continued to lurk in the back of his mind seemed clearer now, his motions made it easier. It was coming back to him... a little at a time. He just continued to follow through with the movements that his body obviously knew more than he.

The library hiding on the other side of the door didn't faze him, yet this understanding of knowing the unknown felt almost odd. He'd been here before, but he'd never been here before in his life. It didn't smell like it did in the hallway. It just smelt old, like breathing in stale air. There were two mako tubes behind a table to the right, made back in the day before the old treatments were considered too inhumane. People had been trapped inside those tubes, completely submerged in mako, and the only way to breath had been by the masks with attachments shoved down their throats. He'd gone through that process, a child amongst grown men, the only one raised as a science experiment. It hadn't been as safe as it was now. It drove men to the brink of insanity, and that was why the process had been shut down.

He turned away from the tubes and went toward the book shelves, but he didn't know what he was searching for. He wiped one off, reading the words "Cosmo Canyon - Search for the Greater Life" on its spine. Setting it off to the side, he dusted another, the title called "Materia and Its User". He frowned, wondering if he'd recognize the ones he'd read by merely the title. His doubts grew as he picked up one book after another. One was named "The Wonders of Mako" and there was another called "The Great Stream"... "The Mountains of Nibelheim".

"Ten Thousand Miles Below the Sea"

"Correl's Coal Mines"

"How to Breed Your Chocobo"

There were books on air pollution, cow herding, water purification... by the time he was done, they were in piles on the floor, but he never came across what he'd been looking for. There wasn't even a note on any type of experimentation done here, not even on the back desk. But why?

Sephiroth tried to recollect what he'd read before, even closed his eyes to try and see it, but it was no use. The information wasn't there. He came here for nothing and it was frustrating to know his search had come to a dead end. He was lost in thought as he stared at the shelves. He wasn't going to give up, not even if he had to tear this entire place apart!

Then it came to him, unbidden. He could almost remember something. Footsteps... someone that had called out his name once before. He'd been standing right here when-

_"Sephiroth!"_

The General looked up in anger, ready to tear the smiling mug off of whoever dared to interrupt him while he was on a personal mission, but no one was there. He almost expected to see whoever it was standing right before him. Then he realized where the voice had come from... it was only a memory, but it had been so loud. The voice had been distinctly male. He kept perfectly still, as if any movement would scare away his phantom person, and he tried to remember by sheer force of will.

"_Sephiroth, what are you doing? You've been down here for_ever_. You're worrying the new guys!"_

"Go away, Zack," Sephiroth whispered to himself in synch with the memory. It had been Zack, the SOLDIER had come back down once more after that and then one of the other soldiers had again later. Each time Sephiroth had turned them away, so caught up with the information he'd obtained from Hojo's notes. He didn't know how long he'd been down here, reading the piles upon piles of books, skimming through some, absorbed by others. Sephiroth grabbed a blue book from the shelf, there had been a different book in its place before... though where it was now or what it said before, he didn't know.

He remembered, once he'd been done with the notes, he'd turned and gone back outside. He thought he could smell it again... right here in the library, the scent of burning wood mixed in with the frozen chill of the air. He could swear that he could almost see the flecks of gray ash amongst the swirling white snow from back then... the large angry flames that had encompassed Nibelheim. It had been breathtaking. The smoke filled the air before he had even made it passed the gate. He had stood there and had witnessed everything, and then he'd made his way toward the trail.

Someone ran out of the mansion behind him and was frozen in horror. The soldier, not noticing Sephiroth, ran as fast as he could to try and find survivors. Sephiroth observed as the other traveled from house to house, finding everyone either dead or dying. Then the young soldier found a man on the ground, they spoke before the elder too passed on from the wounds. The younger sat, paralyzed. Sephiroth turned away from the spectacle, not finding it worth watching as he went further to Mount Nibel... not caring what would happen to the soldier.

The snow fell gracefully as the breeze stilled. The track up the mountains took longer with the bridge collapsed, but he made it to the reactor quickly since he had only himself to look out for. The doors slid open as he went in, passing the broken container still lying there without a care. The failed experiment was long dead since he'd last visited and had dissolved into the Lifestream.

A young girl came in and soon was laying unconscious next to an older gentleman. They looked alike, both had dark hair. Her breathing was slow, but the man was dead.

Before Sephiroth even got to the inner door a SOLDIER barged inside the reactor. It was the Lieutenant. The large buster sword was strapped to his back and he was panting heavily from sprinting all the way from town. The man saw the two civilians lying there and his face was momentarily wracked with sympathy.

"Sephiroth, _STOP!_" Sephiroth ignored the call from the younger man and walked to the reactor's inner door. "Why did you do it_... TELL ME!_"

He never answered, he didn't care to speak with him after that incident happened. The Lieutenant attacked in a moment of confused rage and sparks flew as metal clashed against metal. The man was a ferocious fighter, skilled in both melee and Materia. Shinra was proud to have such an asset, but Sephiroth wasn't Shinra's General without reason. Too soon was the man on the floor, just like the others. Shinra's General was created to be too strong, too different from everyone else. No one could stand up against him.

He finally got the door open, forcefully having to pry the gears into action this time, and he delved inside the new room. There appeared yet another male behind him... the soldier that had been in the town had apparently followed him. He was becoming vexed with all the interruptions he was receiving while on his journey to discovery. He tried ignore the other, but the soldier wouldn't leave. It was an annoyance, he decided, as he tore the metal away that hid the beings true figure from view.

There she was, his mother, floating in the same kind of inhumane tube from inside the lab. He eyes were closed, and the name "Jenova" was written on a plate that was screwed into the sides of her head. She had no arms, no legs, and her body was made up of flesh compromised only of the torso and head. Patterns and color charts were tattooed all over dead blue skin to show the signs of experimentation. It was disgusting what had been done to her in the name of science, horrific.

More words from the soldier were said. Sephiroth wanted to yell, maybe install fear into the lesser being and be rid of it, and so he turned around to do just that. Yet the one standing there had blond hair, blue eyes... key traits of one born from Nibelheim. He was watching as it was Cloud talking to him, wearing the dark blue uniform that SOLDIER failures wore. Sephiroth's eyes widened as he took it all in. The young man hadn't passed the SOLDIER test. He was regular infantry. He looked to the other room in confusion. His Lieutenant... instead of seeing Angeal lying on the floor it was Zack, but Angeal's Buster Sword remained in the other's grip. Zack was his Lieutenant? His vision came back to Cloud. Innocent eyes were filled with hot tears, asking him questions he didn't know how to answer anymore. He reached out a hand, not knowing what he intended to do with it, but the illusion disappeared as if it was never there.

He looked around, trying to find Cloud, but the figment was gone... as were the others. Only the cold metallic walls never faded. The area around him was not made with the brick and logging that the mansion had been known for. He was in an area completely surrounded by metal and wires. He was in the mako reactor, but he didn't remember moving from the library. Not once had he thought he'd actually taken action, but here he was... the destruction of Masamune written on the walls and yet the damage from the buster sword was gone. It wasn't real. None of it was, but it felt like it had just happened... that it hadn't been just a memory.

And now he was standing alone with the large statue of Jenova laying at his feet and the tube incasing its true form right behind him. It was the first time in his life he felt the touch of fear.

.

.

_**To be continued...**_

AN: _Do I feel that this chapter is way too short considering it was way passed due for an update? *nods head in shame*  
I do have more to this chapter written down, but I'm a bit wishy-washy about it... the rest seems kinda forced. I currently have Sephiroth doing a little mental break while visiting Cloud's mom. I may not keep it though... I'm not in love with the idea. _

_If anyone has any ideas for me I'm totally up for listening. Maybe it will help me get out of this writer's block for when I have time to actually write! LOL_

_ALSO if I do add any more to this chapter (which I most likely will) it'll be added on when I add chapter 17 and I'll let you guys know in an AN on that chapter. No sense in making a new announcement for a chapter being up when you all have already read most of it, you know? _

_Please Review! (Criticism accepted as long as it's _constructive_...)_


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